A drink-driver has been released from jail nearly a year after he deliberately rammed his car into security gates at Queanbeyan Police Station in an apparent attempt to cause an explosion.
Richard Playle, 46, had a gas cylinder on his lap and "appeared to be playing with the valve" during the alarming June 2021 incident, the Queanbeyan District Court heard as he was sentenced on Friday.
Judge Robyn Tupman sentenced Playle to just shy of 12 months in jail, which the Queanbeyan man had already served on remand, and two community corrections orders.
She also disqualified him from driving for six months and made a mandatory two-year interlock order.
Playle had previously pleaded guilty to charges of damaging property, possessing an article with intent to damage property, dangerous driving, and mid-range drink-driving.
Judge Tupman said Playle, who faced court via audio-visual link from a NSW prison, was a mentally ill Indigenous man with borderline personality disorder.
She said his mental health issues were exacerbated last June when he drank 15 beers after learning his son had been arrested in Queensland and charged with armed robbery.
Playle, who later returned a blood alcohol reading of two-and-a-half times the legal limit, drove from his home to the police station and slammed his Holden sedan into the security gates at about 30km/h.
He was not wearing a seatbelt and did not apply the brakes before the collision, which resulted in the gates being damaged and the car being wedged between them.
"He intentionally rammed his car into the gates," Judge Tupman said after watching CCTV footage of the event.
The judge said Playle got out of the car after the impact and placed the gas cylinder onto the ground.
The cylinder's valve was open to some extent outside the car, but Judge Tupman said it was unclear exactly when Playle had opened it and whether there was any possibility the crash could have caused the object to explode.
Police officers quickly emerged from the station to arrest Playle, who told them he had done something similar at a Queensland police station about 10 years earlier.
Playle remained in custody, having been refused bail, from the night of his arrest on June 22 last year until Friday afternoon's sentencing.
Judge Tupman indicated that, in light of factors that included Playle's mental health issues, she might not have imposed a full-time jail term had the 46-year-old not already been in custody.
She blasted prosecutors for electing to have the matter committed to her court for sentence, saying it was "verging on an abuse of process" when Playle had been waiting behind bars because the case should have been finalised in the Local Court long ago.
The judge also said the dangerous driving charge was "completely unnecessary", declining to convict Playle or punish him for that offence because it was covered by sentences for the other charges.
"I'm not saying these things because [Playle] gets any medals for this," Judge Tupman said, pointing at the video screen where CCTV image of the incident had been played.
"It's appalling. It potentially put people at risk. But this is not right."
Those who may be distressed can seek support by phoning:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14;
- Mensline: 1300 789 978;
- Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800;
- beyondblue: 1300 224 636; or
- 1800-RESPECT: 1800 737 732.
