Man hit with more charges

THE man accused of threatening a Townsville magistrate and stealing her car amid a violent crime spree spanning hundreds of kilometres has been hit with further charges.

Mitchell Ryan West, 29, faced Townsville Magistrates Court from custody on Tuesday on 22 charges after his frenzied arrest near Alligator Creek the day before.

He is accused of a six-hour crime spree that allegedly began at a bottle shop in Sarina and ended in his arrest in the middle of the Bruce Highway.

West was hit with four new charges, including a single count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and three stealing charges on Wednesday.

He did not appear on Thursday when the newest charges were mentioned.

His defence lawyer Leah Hallam made no application for bail and said her client was on a return to prison warrant at the time of his arrest.

West’s case will return to court on November 3.

The matter is expected to be transferred to another jurisdiction due to the link to Magistrate Cathy Wadley who had her car stolen from her home in Cromarty.