A man who escaped from a secure mental health facility in Cairns last week has appeared in court, facing serious charges related to an alleged assault on family members while he was unlawfully at large.
Escape and Alleged Assault
The incident began on Thursday, May 23, when the 31-year-old man, who was a patient at the Cairns Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit (Cairns Hospital), managed to leave the facility without authorisation. Queensland Police issued a public alert for information on his whereabouts the following day, Friday, May 24.
The situation escalated when police allege the man attended a residence in the Cairns suburb of Manunda on the evening of his escape. It is there that he is accused of assaulting two of his family members.
Court Appearance and Charges
The man was subsequently located and taken into custody. He faced the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday, May 27, where he was formally charged.
The charges laid against him include:
- Two counts of common assault (domestic violence offence)
- One count of serious assault of a police officer
- One count of obstructing a police officer
The matter was adjourned, and the man was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to reappear in court at a later date.
Ongoing Investigations and Patient Status
A Queensland Health spokesperson confirmed the individual was a "forensic patient" under the Mental Health Act 2016. Forensic patients are those who have been found unfit for trial or not criminally responsible due to mental illness and are subject to a forensic order.
The spokesperson stated that an internal review into the circumstances of the patient's departure from the facility is now underway. "The safety and wellbeing of the community is our highest priority," the spokesperson said, adding that they are working closely with Queensland Police Service.
Queensland Police have indicated their investigations into the full sequence of events are continuing.
