A MAN involved in a stand-off with police in Wangaratta allegedly told a support worker he had a plan “the whole country would notice”.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Critical incident officers boarded a helicopter from Melbourne towards Maxwell Street on Friday night.
There were concerns Russell McMahon, 54, was armed with petrol and harboured homicidal thoughts towards officers.
He has previously reversed his car through the Wangaratta Police Station.
The Wangaratta Magistrates Court heard McMahon told the case manager on Friday he could make a bomb better than the Russell Street bombers.
The Junction Support Services worker had spoken to McMahon for nearly half-an-hour, with McMahon said to have made multiple threats against police.
“Coppers are going down,” he allegedly said.
“I can just get a Mack truck and start it with a screwdriver.
“I’ll get a tanker with petrol and diesel.
“I like that mixture, it burns well and if the coppers come here now I’ll burn them in my doorway and set them alight.
“I’ll then shoot them with their own guns.”
Police made phone contact with McMahon and he allegedly made further threats about driving a truck through the station and pouring petrol on himself and police, claiming he wasn’t scared of death.
The court heard he had been arrested three times in recent days and there were fears he would carry out his threats.
Police attended his home about 6.30pm following negotiations over the phone lasting several hours.
When he saw the police units and firefighters outside the home, McMahon said “you win” and was arrested without issue.
Police allege he had a can with fuel, cigarette lighters and a chef’s knife on a couch he had been sitting on while talking on the phone.
He is facing charges of making threats to kills, inflict serious injury, damage property and committing indictable offences on bail.
The tactical officers were turned around while heading to Wangaratta after the matter was resolved without violence.
McMahon had been arrested with a large knife in the early hours of New Year’s Day and punched a hole in the wall of an interview room.
A police baton was taken during a scuffle that injured two officers, with the controlled weapon found in a search on Thursday.
Police opposed bail during Monday’s hearing.
They argued he had “no regard for bail conditions” or authority, with “grave concerns” about him being released back into the community given the risk he posed to the public.
He was denied bail and will return to court next Wednesday.
