Lawyers for Liam Alexander Hall, the 32-year-old man accused of attempting to bomb an Invasion Day rally in Perth, have indicated they will rely on a mental health defence. Hall is charged with engaging in a terrorist act, making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances, and intent to harm after allegedly throwing a homemade fragment bomb into a crowd of 2,500 people on 26 January 2026.
The device, packed with ball bearings and nails, was thrown from a balcony but failed to detonate. Hall is currently being held at the Frankland Centre, a secure psychiatric facility at Graylands Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. His lawyer, Simon Freitag, told the court they plan to enter a plea under section 27 of the Criminal Code Act, which provides a defence of insanity.
Under section 27, a person is not criminally responsible if a mental disease or illness rendered them incapable of understanding their actions, controlling them, or knowing they should not commit the act. An independent psychiatric assessment is required, as the report cannot be completed by Hall's treating psychiatrist. Freitag noted some improvement in Hall's condition and expects the case to move to the Supreme Court.
The Frankland Centre has faced criticism from mental health advocates for its conditions but is undergoing a $219 million redevelopment. Hall did not appear at Tuesday's hearing via video link; the case was adjourned until May to allow time for the psychiatric report.
