A former immigration detainee accused of threatening police with a knife inside a Melbourne pub has been granted bail.
The western suburbs man is accused of threatening specialist police officers with a knife at the Nicholson St establishment in Footscray after he was seen brandishing the weapon at a nearby grocery shop.
The Public Order Response Team drew a taser and warned the Ardeer man before he was taken into custody.
No one was injured prior to or during the arrest.
Victoria Police confirmed the man was one of the detainees recently released following a High Court ruling. Picture: AAP
“A 45-year-old man has been charged following an incident in Footscray on 21 April,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
“The charges relate to an incident at an Albert Street grocery store in Footscray where the man allegedly stole groceries and was reported to be carrying a knife about 9am.
“Victoria Police can confirm the man is one of the detainees recently released following a High Court ruling.
“Victoria Police is always proactive in addressing community risk presented by those who would commit criminal acts.”
Police charged him with resist police officer, assault police officer, possess dangerous article in licensed premises and shop theft.
He has since appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and was bailed to reappear on May 22.
Ninette Simons, the victim of an assault and burglary in the Perth suburb of Girrawheen. Picture: WA Police/Supplied
Federal authorities last week charged another former detainee, Sudanese-born Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad, after he allegedly breached curfew orders in Melbourne.
He was charged for the curfew breach and failing to keep his monitoring device in working order.
Both charges carry a maximum of five years behind bars.
That came just says after Perth couple Ninette and Philip Simons were allegedly attacked during a brutal Perth home invasion at the hands of another freed detainee.
Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, one of the 140 detainees released by the High Court last year, is accused of posing as a police officer before he allegedly launched his physical onslaught.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil deflected any criticism toward the High Court.
“If I had any power to put that person back in detention, that is exactly what I would do,” she told Sunrise on Wednesday.
The accused last month fronted court after allegedly breaching his night curfew multiple times but was granted bail.
