Bail for kill threat accused

A MAN accused of threatening to rape and kill a Queensland magistrate because of a long-running neighbourhood feud has been granted Supreme Court bail.

Shane Christopher Toohey had been in custody for about a year after he was charged with five offences, including stalking and committing an indecent act, over allegations he made threats to Magistrate Catherine Pirie.

It’s also alleged Toohey had armed himself with a machete and indecently exposed himself. The alleged threats were made after Ms Pirie’s husband David allegedly hit Toohey’s mother with a shovel.

David Pirie has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm over the alleged February 2017 attack.

He has previously claimed self-defence and will defend the charge at a Brisbane District Court trial in June.

Since being charged over the incident, Toohey had sought release from custody several times but it was refused due to concerns he posed an unacceptable risk of re-offending or interfering with witnesses.

But on yesterday, the court heard the families involved were no longer neighbours and Justice Helen Bowskill agreed to grant him conditional bail.