A Longreach senior constable has avoided a conviction but was fined over an incident captured on video in which he pulled a gun on a Mount Isa couple for allegedly speeding on the Landsborough Highway.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Senior Constable Stephen Flanagan was found guilty of assault and deprivation of liberty in a Brisbane court in December last year over an incident on the highway near Longreach in May 2015.
Magistrate Paul Kluck ordered no conviction was recorded as the 46-year-old Flanagan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder which was undiagnosed at the time of the incident.
This month Flanagan was fined $1500 for the incident.
Mount Isa couple Lee Povey and his partner Anna Lisa Cruse were on the highway when intercepted by Flanagan.
The dash-cam video showed Flanagan swearing and blowing his horn before pulling his gun on the couple.
Flanagan was captured screaming "f***ing pull over now, c***" and drew his gun on Mr Povey as he threatened to "put a f***ing hole in you".
Flanagan assaulted Mr Povey when he held the gun to his back.
On Friday, the court heard it was not uncommon for people with post-traumatic stress disorder to be unaware they have the condition or the extremity of their reactions.
The prosecutor said Flanagan's behaviour had a "significant" impact on Mr Povey, who feared no one would take his complaint about the incident seriously.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
