Stunning development after amber alert was issued for three Australian children
- Man had no money
- Children were allegedly left by themselves
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A Gold Coast father accused of leaving his three children alone in a car overnight allegedly turned up at a pub 'highly intoxicated' and with no money after parking his vehicle outside a 7-Eleven servo.
The chilling allegation against the Paradise Point man – who cannot be identified due to legal reasons – follows a court appearance on Tuesday when he applied for bail on serious child cruelty charges.
The man's mother and brother were seated in the back of the court but declined to comment to media as they left.
Police located all three children on Monday after they were last seen getting into a blue Hyundai I30 on Sunday afternoon.
The report triggered an urgent amber alert over fears the children were at 'significant risk'.
It is alleged the two boys and a young girl were left by themselves in the vehicle overnight.
The man has since been charged with three counts each of cruelty to children under 16 years and leaving a child under 12 unattended.
He is also facing one charge each of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence and another charge.
Police located all three children on Monday after they were last seen getting into a blue Hyundai I30 (pictured) on Sunday afternoon
The court was told the man allegedly had custody of the children on July 5 and drove them to various addresses across South East Queensland
No pleas have been entered.
Police allege the man failed to provide reasonable provision for the supervision and care for the children while they were subject to the amber alert.
During a bail application at Beenleigh Magistrates Court, the man's defence lawyer Zane Chapman said his client was not a risk of failing to turn up to court.
Mr Chapman argued conditions such as a restriction on alcohol consumption and an order to seek a mental healthcare plan from his GP would ameliorate any risk while on bail.
Those were in addition to conditions stating he would reside with family and report to police multiple times a week, Mr Chapman said.
He explained the man's charge of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence related to allegations he gave 'unwanted parenting advice' to the partner of his former girlfriend.
'There's no threats, there's no threatening of any violence of the sort,' Mr Chapman said.
Bail was opposed by police prosecutor Kirsten Gudzinski, who argued the man presented an unacceptable risk of committing further offences.
The court was told the man allegedly had custody of the children on July 5 and drove them to various addresses across South East Queensland.
Ms Gudzinski said the children were allegedly left in the vehicle after the man parked the car outside the servo about 6.40pm on the date of the alleged offence.
'He (allegedly) caused a disturbance, yelling at staff, resulting in him being locked out of the store,' Ms Gudzinski said.
Ms Gudzinski said the man then moved the vehicle to an unknown location in Mount Warren Park, allegedly leaving the vehicle and the children inside.
'The children were left alone for approximately 12 hours…(with) no access to food, water, clothing or a toilet,' she said.
'It was (an alleged) dangerous act which put their lives at risk.'
The court was told an hour later the man arrived on foot at a tavern in Beenleigh 'highly intoxicated' and with no money.
'He was refused service and a vehicle was ordered for the defendant to an unknown address,' Ms Gudzinski said.
The man was then arrested at 10.40pm.
Ms Gudzinski said he was so intoxicated he could not articulate to police where the children were located.
Police have alleged the children were left in the vehicle after the man parked the car outside a 7-Eleven service station (stock image)
They were found by a member of the public walking on the street about 6.50am the following morning, she continued.
The court was told the man was also on bail at the time for other charges, which are listed for sentence before the court.
He also had a criminal history littered with drug, weapon and domestic violence offences, Ms Gudzinski said.
'Those three offence types are a dangerous cocktail, particularly for a person who shows no regard for the safety of his own children,' she said.
Magistrate Gerard O'Driscoll ultimately refused bail.
'There is an unacceptable risk he would commit further offences, endanger the safety and welfare of other persons,' Mr O'Driscoll said.
The man's charges of child cruelty and leaving a child unattended will be mentioned in court on September 4.
The carriage service and other charges will return to court on August 5.
