Teen charged with hate crime over alleged threats to ‘blow up’ family

Updated October 21, 2026 — 5:51pm,first published 11:30am

A 19-year-old has been charged with committing hate crimes by Brisbane counter-terrorism police over alleged threats he made on Monday.

Police accused Harley Adams of making abusive threats towards a family in a unit block in Morningside in the city’s east at about 12.30am on Monday.

It is alleged Adams threatened to “blow up” a family, who he believed had made a complaint about him to police.

Adams, who is from Mackay, was tracked down by investigators to accommodation in Spring Hill on Tuesday, and arrested with the help of specialist public safety officers.

He was charged with three counts of making threats, serious vilification or hate crime, and remanded in custody before appearing via video link in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

He was represented by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service, who said he had been struggling since the death of his mother 18 months ago and had been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

His lawyer said Adams was working with social services to find alternative accommodation.

Adams was granted bail with strict conditions, including reporting to the police, staying away from the Morningside unit block, and wearing an electronic ankle monitor.

The matter was adjourned to November 16.

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