The man at the centre of a siege situation that caused the closure of the Princes Highway at Fairy Meadow for four hours on Wednesday says he was acting in fear of police.
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A day after he was shocked with a taser, brought to the ground and arrested, a bruised William Wilson appeared before Wollongong Local Court Thursday afternoon.
His lawyer stood down, suggesting the 23-year-old was too mentally unwell to be making an application for his release on bail.
Wilson then represented himself, asking Magistrate Peter Thompson to release him from custody so he could go to a detox facility.
He told the court he had recently relapsed, before he could go to a full-time rehabilitation facility, as he now intended.
He told the court he was “still hearing voices” and that jail would not help his poor mental health.
“I’m still confused as to why my father rang emergency services – I was just afraid of police,” he told the magistrate.
Thirteen police cars surrounded Wilson at a highway-side Fairy Meadow home from about 9am Wednesday.
Footage from several police body-worn cameras is expected to form part of the prosecution case.
According to a police account of events, considered by the magistrate, Wilson recently left a rehabilitation facility and was living at the Fairy Meadow address with his sister and parents when a heated argument erupted on Wednesday morning.
Police allege he armed himself with two knives and threatened his father and sister.
Police arrived to find him on the front lawn wearing only shorts, allegedly still holding the knives and “extremely agitated and aggressive, swearing and yelling towards police”.
He allegedly came at an officer, held the knives in the air and shouted “f--- off, I’ll f---ing kill you”, prompting the officer to draw her taser.
Police allege he then retreated to the front verandah but refused to exit the property as requested.
Neighbouring Fairy Meadow Demonstration School was placed in lockdown for several hours as NSW Police negotiators and the NSW State Protection Support Unit moved in.
Wilson allegedly continued making threats. Police allege they saw him with numerous knives, scissors and a meat tenderiser throughout the stand-off.
He allegedly used the tenderiser to damage walls within the house.
The siege ended about 12.40pm after Wilson, who was following directions on safely exiting the premises, allegedly removed his hands from his head and reached for a knife secreted in the waist of his pants, then lunged at an officer.
Police used a five-second taser cycle to stop him. He allegedly continued to threaten and resist police once on the ground.
Police contend Wilson remains drug-dependent. They say he showed “total disregard for police and authorities” and “sees no issue in his behaviour and blames all other parties involved for the situation he finds himself in today”.
Magistrate Thompson refused bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
“Your family was scared at the time. Police were concerned by your conduct. A school was shut down. In the circumstances I cannot be satisfied that you would comply with conditions of bail.”
The magistrate made an order requiring Wilson to receive medical attention while in custody.
The matter returns to court November 13.
Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
