Alleged Lindt Cafe vandal a former national basketball pro
The man who allegedly assaulted a police officer and vandalised the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place is a former professional Australian basketball player.
Luke Martin, a former Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings player, allegedly threw rocks at the cafe and, in an unrelated incident, left a police officer with a suspected broken jaw.
Martin signed for Perth Wildcats earlier this year as an injury replacement but has since been released from the team.
The rock attack which was discovered just after midnight, left several cafe windows broken.
When police arrived at the scene they found broken glass and rocks scattered on the footpath outside the cafe, but the offenders were nowhere to be found.
However earlier that night, at around 11.20pm, a Police Dog Unit had spotted a vehicle travelling on the incorrect side of Elizabeth Street.
The police vehicle called for assistance from a highway patrol vehicle, which began to follow the Holden Cruze.
The Cruze travelled along Oxford Street in Darlinghurst and came to a stop on Darlinghurst Road. The male driver left the vehicle and allegedly threw a bag, from the back of the car, at officers.
While police were attempting to arrest the driver, a male constable was allegedly assaulted. His colleague was able to detain the man until more police arrived.
The highway patrol constable sustained a broken jaw and swelling to his knee and remains in hospital under observation.
While Martin, 34, was assisting with inquiries into the pursuit, investigations led to him also being spoken to by detectives who were investigating rocks being thrown at the Lindt cafe.
The Concord man was charged with drive manner dangerous, police pursuit (Skyes Law), assault police occasioning actual bodily harm and resisting arrest.
He was also charged with malicious damage in relation to rocks being thrown at a Martin Place cafe this morning.
He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Central Local Court later today.
The act of vandalism comes as the coronial inquest into the deadly Lindt Cafe siege continues, with bizarre details emerging about killer Man Haron Monis.
On December 15 last year Monis took 18 people hostage at the Lindt cafe in Martin place, leading to the deaths of Tori Johnson, Katrina Dawson and Monis himself.
The inquest will run until June 5.
