August 2010

Police car rammed and officers pelted with tent pegs

Grey nomad wanted cops to shoot him, magistrate told

GREY nomad Tom Brennan has had his travels curtailed after ramming a police car with his ute and caravan during an astonishing fit of road rage.

The 51-year-old wept as magistrate Anne Thacker jailed him after he admitted eight charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault occasioning bodily harm, two counts of wilful damage of two police cars, serious assault of a police officer, failing to stop and obstructing police.

Brennan, formerly from Toowoomba in Queensland, was also disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $662.79 restitution for wilful damage.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard how his day turned sour after an argument with the boss of a Warwick caravan park over a broken water pipe. Brennan was ordered out of the park but punched the park owner several times.

When police in an unmarked car later attempted to stop the pensioner's ute and caravan in Goomburra Street the rig swerved from side to side and then stopped.

The court was told that Brennan threw heavy metal tent pegs at police after reversing his rig into their vehicle, causing extensive damage.

More pegs were thrown when a second police car arrived on the scene, both police vehicles having their windscreen shattered.

Officers were forced to use capsicum spray before tackling the defendant to the ground.

It was discovered that Brennan was wearing foil under his shirt to protect him in case police used tasers.

"He later admitted to police he wanted to be shot and killed by police as he was losing control of his life and had depression," Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa told the court.

Brennan will be eligible for parole on October 8.

He was sentenced as follows:

Dangerous operation of a vehicle: 12 months imprisonment.
Assault occasioning bodily harm: 24 months imprisonment.
Wilful damage: 12 months imprisonment.
Wilful damage: 12 months imprisonment.
Serious assault on police officer: 12 months imprisonment.
On the charges of fail to stop and obstructing police he was convicted but not further punished.

All sentences had pre-sentence custody declared at 152 days and are to be served concurrent.