Terence Charles Brown: Albany man jailed after threatening a woman in court, spitting at security officer

An Albany man who threatened a woman in a court waiting room and spat in the face of a hospital security officer has been jailed for 10 months and fined $1100. Terence Charles Brown appeared in Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to making a threat to unlawfully do an act, disorderly behaviour in public, a breach of bail undertaking, and assaulting a public officer. On November 1, 2024, the 26-year-old was at Albany Magistrates Court when he threatened a woman in the waiting room, calling her a paedophile and telling her she was “dead” and that he was going to “cut her head off”. Court security escorted Brown from the building and police arrested him. In an impact statement, the victim said being called a paedophile was the most humiliating insult she had never endured. Defence lawyer Lillie Carney said her client attended court the next day to apologise. Ten days later, on November 10, police brought Brown to Albany Health Campus where he was told he was being admitted to the mental health ward. Police prosecutor Sergeant Gary Simpson said Brown reacted violently, lashing out at nurses and hospital staff and trying to bite a security officer who tried to restrain him. After he spat in the officer’s face, Brown was sedated for the safety of himself and hospital staff. A letter from Brown’s psychiatrist was presented to the court, confirming the offences occurred during a mental breakdown. “I think the court can accept that Mr Brown was not mentally in a good place, and likely wasn’t himself at any of these times,” Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said. Ms Carney said Brown’s behaviour improved after he was ordered by the court to undertake a community corrections program for unrelated charges and receiving adequate medications for his condition. Ms O’Donnell said she was disappointed Brown — who was using alcohol and drugs, including methamphetamine at the time — had “exacerbated” his situation by increasing his drug and alcohol use. Brown was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 10 months on the condition he undertakes a community-based order. He was also fined $1100 and ordered to pay $321 in costs.