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A shirtless concreter was covered in blood and scratches when he allegedly threatened to shoot police officers in a dramatic incident that ended with him being Tasered twice, a court has heard. In documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court, police say they were called to a Curtin address early on Thursday morning after reports that a man had “smashed up the house” and was “threatening to stab people”. When officers turned up at 12.42am, they saw three people shouting at 29-year-old Michael Keane to “give back the keys”. “[Keane] was not wearing a shirt, appeared to be highly intoxicated, [and had] a bloodied hand and scratches to multiple areas of his upper body,” police allege. Officers, who could also see a smashed window at the front of the house, told Keane he was under arrest because they believed he had been “involved in violent conduct”. They attempted to handcuff him, but he allegedly knocked one of them over and ran away. Police say they found him hiding in a nearby bush and told him to stay where he was. In response, he is said to have yelled, “I’m gonna shoot you. I’ve got a gun”, before pointing his hand towards officers. Unable to see whether he was holding anything, police say they pointed their weapons at Keane as he began walking towards them with his hands behind his back and in his pockets. He was subsequently Tasered, but allegedly continued to be aggressive and yelled, “Have a go. I’ll f—ing shoot you, c—.” “The defendant was [Tasered] a second time, fell to the ground and police were able to handcuff him,” court documents say. “The entire incident was captured on police body-worn cameras, and the threats made towards police are clear.” Once Keane had been detained, officers allegedly found a steak knife in the pocket of his shorts. He was eventually taken to Canberra Hospital, where he is accused of telling police, “I’m gonna put a bullet between your eyes.” Keane appeared in court via phone on Thursday afternoon, charged with assaulting police, resisting police, escaping lawful arrest and possessing a knife in public without a reasonable excuse. He did not enter pleas, but Legal Aid lawyer Georgina Meikle conceded that the assault and resist charges were “likely made out on the facts” and that the alleged knife possession was “concerning”. She said, however, that there “may be some problems” with the escaping arrest charge because “the defendant couldn’t be described as having regained his liberty”. Ms Meikle applied for bail on Keane’s behalf, saying he was living with his mother in Oxley and engaging with support services after being sentenced to a community-based jail term last month. But prosecutor Madison Fieldus opposed bail, saying Keane had demonstrated “sustained, aggressive conduct” and “an unwillingness to control his behaviour”. She noted that he was currently subject to intensive correction orders for “violent offending”, and that he had at least seven previous assault convictions. Keane’s alleged behaviour also seemed to stem from substance abuse issues, Ms Fieldus told the court. Magistrate Louise Taylor described the police documents as detailing “concerning behaviour”. In light of this and Keane’s “significant history of violence”, Ms Taylor said she had no confidence that the 29-year-old was capable of complying with court orders. She refused bail and remanded Keane in custody until his next court date on December 3.
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A shirtless concreter was covered in blood and scratches when he allegedly threatened to shoot police officers in a dramatic incident that ended with him being Tasered twice, a court has heard.
In documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court, police say they were called to a Curtin address early on Thursday morning after reports that a man had “smashed up the house” and was “threatening to stab people”.
When officers turned up at 12.42am, they saw three people shouting at 29-year-old Michael Keane to “give back the keys”.
“[Keane] was not wearing a shirt, appeared to be highly intoxicated, [and had] a bloodied hand and scratches to multiple areas of his upper body,” police allege.
Officers, who could also see a smashed window at the front of the house, told Keane he was under arrest because they believed he had been “involved in violent conduct”.
They attempted to handcuff him, but he allegedly knocked one of them over and ran away.
Police say they found him hiding in a nearby bush and told him to stay where he was.
In response, he is said to have yelled, “I’m gonna shoot you. I’ve got a gun”, before pointing his hand towards officers.
Unable to see whether he was holding anything, police say they pointed their weapons at Keane as he began walking towards them with his hands behind his back and in his pockets.
He was subsequently Tasered, but allegedly continued to be aggressive and yelled, “Have a go. I’ll f—ing shoot you, c—.”
“The defendant was [Tasered] a second time, fell to the ground and police were able to handcuff him,” court documents say.
“The entire incident was captured on police body-worn cameras, and the threats made towards police are clear.”
Once Keane had been detained, officers allegedly found a steak knife in the pocket of his shorts.
He was eventually taken to Canberra Hospital, where he is accused of telling police, “I’m gonna put a bullet between your eyes.”
Keane appeared in court via phone on Thursday afternoon, charged with assaulting police, resisting police, escaping lawful arrest and possessing a knife in public without a reasonable excuse.
He did not enter pleas, but Legal Aid lawyer Georgina Meikle conceded that the assault and resist charges were “likely made out on the facts” and that the alleged knife possession was “concerning”.
She said, however, that there “may be some problems” with the escaping arrest charge because “the defendant couldn’t be described as having regained his liberty”.
Ms Meikle applied for bail on Keane’s behalf, saying he was living with his mother in Oxley and engaging with support services after being sentenced to a community-based jail term last month.
But prosecutor Madison Fieldus opposed bail, saying Keane had demonstrated “sustained, aggressive conduct” and “an unwillingness to control his behaviour”.
She noted that he was currently subject to intensive correction orders for “violent offending”, and that he had at least seven previous assault convictions.
Keane’s alleged behaviour also seemed to stem from substance abuse issues, Ms Fieldus told the court.
Magistrate Louise Taylor described the police documents as detailing “concerning behaviour”.
In light of this and Keane’s “significant history of violence”, Ms Taylor said she had no confidence that the 29-year-old was capable of complying with court orders.
She refused bail and remanded Keane in custody until his next court date on December 3.
Police officers say they had to Taser Michael Keane twice on Thursday morning. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
