By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN who threatened to kill seven people including his carers, a hospital CAT team staff member and an off-duty nurse has few options for accommodation outside, a court has heard.
Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told on 7 December that several housing services and drug rehab centres refused to house 24-year-old Dale Pitman.
His defence lawyer Michelle Nguyen told the court Pitman, who had complex mental health and drug issues and a mild intellectual disability, had “burnt his bridges”.
Pitman had a difficult time in prison and accommodation with his family wasn’t an option, Ms Nguyen said.
In April, Pitman held a 10-centimetre knife as he told staff at his Eumemmerring residential care facility he would kill them unless they gave him money.
A staff member pushed Pitman away using a vacuum-cleaner pole, causing the accused to drop his weapon.
Pitman repeated his deadly threats as he punched a staff member to the side of the head and body.
At Dandenong Hospital’s emergency department in August, Pitman became verbally abusive after being cleared of mental health issues.
He told a staff member that “I’m going to f***ing hunt you down and kill you. I mean it”.
The victim since took out an intervention order against Pitman.
He stood over a off-duty nurse at an inner-city 7-11 store after she refused to treat his injured hand in September.
Such was his aggressive manner, the nurse and the store’s attendant locked themselves behind the front counter, police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Tracey Arnold told the court.
“If you don’t help me, I’ll kill you,” the accused said – then took a banana from the front counter, ate it and left the store.
During two tirades last year at his res-care facility, he repeatedly threatened to slit a staff member’s throat and “neck” a replacement carer, then kicked an office security door as staff locked themselves inside.
The accused, who has a mild intellectual disability, told police: “Whatever I said I didn’t mean it. It was said only in anger to express my feelings”.
Ms Nguyen told the court Pitman “struggles to hear about what he has done”.
“He describes his behaviour as really appalling.”
Pitman told the court he wanted the opportunity to go to drug rehab.
“I was looking forward to having a crack and getting out there into life.
“Maybe I needed this kick up the a*** – sorry for swearing. I made some stupid, f***ing mistakes.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen mused what to do with the accused and how to protect the community.
“When you get upset, you have got to learn to walk away.”
If Pitman was granted CREDIT bail, he’d be staying in Prince of Mark Motel, he said. “And that’s not going to happen.”
Pitman was sentenced to 12 months in jail with a 90-day non-parole period – including 77 days already served in custody.
