A MAN accused of stockpiling an arsenal of weapons at Cessnock including two improvised explosive devices, more than 5500 rounds of ammunition, a firearm, a taser and gunpowder is in an induced coma at the Calvary Mater Hospital suffering from the effects of heat stroke and drug use, Newcastle Bail Court has heard.
It was 41 degrees at Cessnock on Sunday and former soldier Shaun Kenneth Warrington, 35, was behaving increasingly erratic before he broke into two homes in five minutes by repeatedly shoulder charging down the doors. During the second break-in at a home in Melbourne Street, Mr Warrington knocked the door off its hinges and became stuck underneath, the occupants sitting on the door, and Mr Warrington, until police arrived.
He was taken to Cessnock police station, but when he arrived Mr Warrington would not get out of the police truck, police said.
Police took him out of the truck and found he was "unresponsive but conscious", police said.
An ambulance was called and Mr Warrington was taken to Maitland Hospital.
But when his condition deteriorated Mr Warrington was placed in a medically induced coma and transported to Calvary Mater Hospital at Waratah.
Hunter Valley Police District Chief Inspector Guy Guiana told the Newcastle Herald on Friday that Mr Warrington's condition was not the result of being held in a caged truck on a 40-degree day.
"His condition is not a result of either the arrest or the subsequent transport," Chief Inspector Guiana said. "If it had been a result of his transport then there would already be a critical incident investigation ongoing. He was taken to hospital and placed under guard suffering from the side effects of drugs and heat stroke. We believe he may have taken some sort of drug prior to his arrest and his medical condition is as a result of the use of drugs and the environmental factors."
Criminal defence lawyer Drew Hamilton told Newcastle Bail Court on Friday that Mr Warrington remained in a coma and was unfit for a bedside hearing. He was refused bail until January 8.
After Mr Warrington's arrest and hospitalisation, police raided a home at Carroll Avenue, Cessnock, on Monday and allegedly located two improvised explosive devices, a Lithgow .303 calibre rifle, 5508 rounds of various calibre ammunition, scopes, silencers, magazines, a taser and gunpowder.
Police said they were searching a garage at the home when they found a plastic case with two padlocks. They managed to open the case and allegedly found two homemade devices, including a glass jar with nails and gunpowder and some type of pipe bomb.
