A 57-year-old Australian father has been dramatically arrested at a bustling airport after allegedly threatening to 'blow this place up' and telling a security guard to 'f*** off'. Federal police were summoned to Perth Airport's international terminal on Wednesday following reports that a man had endangered the safety of others.
Details of the Incident
Officers quickly connected the man to an unattended backpack discovered in the terminal, which was examined by WA Police's bomb unit and subsequently declared safe. An exclusion zone was established, and the man, identified as Keiron Beau James Hedges by 9News, was arrested in Perth's CBD.
According to the court, Hedges allegedly told a security guard to 'f*** off' when he was stopped after attempting to walk through immigration without a passport. 'I am going to blow this place up,' the 57-year-old is accused of saying.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Hedges has been charged with one count of threatening to destroy, damage, or endanger the safety of a Commonwealth aerodrome. The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment. During the disruption, crowds of passengers were forced to queue before the airport resumed operations following the dramatic arrest.
When Hedges appeared in court on Thursday, he reportedly became angry and yelled, claiming there 'had been a misrepresentation of his actual words'. The prosecutor opposed the father's request for bail release and informed the magistrate that additional charges could be laid. Hedges was remanded into custody for a mental health assessment and is scheduled to face court next week.
Police Response
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal told reporters that Hedges had behaved in a 'suspicious manner'. 'It was the manner of the way the bag was left by itself on top of, allegedly on top of a bin,' he said during a press conference. He emphasised that the force would not tolerate threats to aviation security. 'Travelling through airports should be a safe experience for passengers, staff and airline crew alike,' he added.
