TOUGH MOTHER
HEAVILY PREGNANT MUM SAVES 4- YEAR- OLD SON FROM ABDUCTION
A HEAVILY pregnant mother saved her young son from abduction during a terrifying home invasion.
The woman, 37 weeks pregnant, was alone with her three young children when a 33- year- old man allegedly entered her Ingham home on Wednesday.
The woman and her children fled the house but the man followed them outside and allegedly grabbed the woman’s four- year- old son.
The mother struggled with the man and he let the boy go after another woman intervened.
The man was denied bail in Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday after he was deemed to be an unacceptable risk to the community and himself.
Magistrate Steven Mosch said the man had “terrorised” the mother and her children.
“She has fled from the defendant who released her son but not after terrifying both of them and, I suspect, all members of her family,” he said.
“Over a number of days, he has displayed bizarre and irrational behaviour.”
After fleeing the home, the man went to Ingham police station where he allegedly jumped the counter.
The terrified receptionist ran through the police station screaming as police drew Tasers and firearms before the man was taken into custody.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Tim Madsen said the man didn’t know his victims.
“There is no affiliation between him and the victims,’’ he said.
“The female tried to escape and was followed outside by the defendant.”
The man looked up at the ceiling and muttered to the magistrate during the court appearance.
The man, whom the Bulletin has chosen to not name, was expected to be admitted to the Secure Mental Health Unit.
Wednesday’s incident followed a string of strange behaviour by the man.
On Tuesday last week, police found the man wandering 5km south of Ingham where he told them he was going to find out who killed his cousin. The next day, Ingham police found him with a piece of timber and he told them he was looking for a man under a bridge. He also allegedly ate bread and drank wine at Ingham’s Catholic Church before drinking holy water and spitting at the priest.
Police also found him at Ingham’s Uniting Church where he had placed possum fur and other strange items in front of statues before telling police he was being chased by devils. The man faces seven charges including attempted child stealing, serious assault police and trespass.
The matter is scheduled to be heard in Townsville Magistrates Court on August 21.