Man in custody, weapons seized after dramatic airport arrest
A knife and a saw have been seized, and a 38-year-old man is in custody after allegedly assaulting a police officer in the car park of an airport on the NSW North Coast.
On Monday, a man named Braden Hardy was arrested at Ballina Byron Airport in a dramatic incident. The 38-year-old was detained and is set to appear in court soon. Hardy is accused of assaulting a police officer and possessing a knife and a saw in his possession.
The arrest unfolded at around 9:30am when police were alerted about a man attempting to enter a restricted area of the airport. Hardy made multiple attempts to breach the airport, first trying several doors before eventually entering the departures area.
Following a search of Hardy's belongings, police discovered the knife and saw. Hardy was given a 'move-on' direction and left, but returned shortly thereafter and allegedly attacked a senior constable. The assault resulted in four officers having to physically subdue Hardy.
The assault led to Hardy being taken to Lismore Base Hospital, where he received a minor injury assessment from paramedics. He was subsequently moved to Lismore Police Station, where he faced six charges including assault on a police officer, not complying with a direction, and being in possession of a knife in a public place.
Bail was formally refused and Hardy was expected to face the Ballina Local Court on Thursday. Ballina Shire Council, which oversees the airport, declined to comment on the situation while the police inquiry was ongoing.
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