Man charged over alleged threats at Hannah Beazley's office appears in court

A 56-year-old man, John Lawrence Smart, has appeared in a Western Australian magistrates court over alleged threats made at the Victoria Park electorate office of WA Labor state minister Hannah Beazley.

Police allege Smart made verbal threats at the office on Wednesday afternoon while holding an improvised martial arts weapon, known as nunchucks. He has been charged with being armed in a way that may cause fear, with making an unlawful threat, and with possessing cannabis. He was not required to enter a plea.

Magistrate Heidi Watson ordered that Smart remain in custody for further medical assessment. His lawyer raised concern about his mental health during the hearing.

The Guardian reported that prosecutors said Smart entered the office physically agitated and screaming, holding two pieces of wood tied together. A police prosecutor said a second, similar implement was attached to his belt. Prosecutors allege he demanded to see the politician and raised one of the implements above his head in a threatening manner before leaving.

Smart's account of the day differs. He told the court he had been a musician for 20 years and was holding claves, a pair of wooden percussion sticks. His lawyer said he was known to carry percussion sticks in the community and to play drums. Magistrate Watson suggested he may have been holding drumsticks.

The court also heard that Smart had previously been involuntarily admitted to hospital with schizophrenia, a serious mental illness. It heard he displayed delusional persecutory beliefs, meaning fixed beliefs that he was being targeted, and believed he had the devil inside him.

No one was injured. Two staff were in the electorate office when Smart allegedly came in, according to the ABC.

Beazley is the minister for local government in the WA government. She is also the daughter of former federal Labor leader Kim Beazley.

Smart is due back before the same court next Thursday.