Australian “trolley man” charged after handing himself in to police

The homeless man who became a national hero after being hailed Melbourne’s “trolley man” in last week’s Bourke St attack has faced court on a number of charges.

Michael Rogers, 46, was wanted over a spate of burglaries and breaching his bail conditions, and handed himself in to police on Friday night.

After facing court today, it’s expected his bail application will be opposed.

He rose to public attention after using a shopping trolley to ram Hassan Khalif Shire Ali as police tried to disarm the Somali-born radical in last Friday’s Bourke Street terror attack.

Michael Rogers, dubbed "Trolley Man" online, was filmed on Friday trying to prevent Hassan Khalif Shire Ali from stabbing two police officers.

The suspect had already killed a cafe owner and injured two other people.

When tracked down by reporters, Mr Rogers, 46, told: "I threw the trolley straight at him, and I got him. I didn't quite get him down, though."

At the time he was only meters from a burning car full of gas cylinders, which the attacker had set alight near Bourke Street, a busy road in the city center.

Footage of Mr Rogers' efforts spread rapidly online, where he was hailed as a hero.

But a week later, police were seeking Rogers over criminal matters.

“Police are seeking the whereabouts of a 46-year-old man of no fixed address in relation to a number of recent burglaries in the Melbourne CBD and St Kilda areas and breach of bail conditions,” the force said in a statement on Thursday night.

As news of his arrest broke, a crowd-funding campaign sparked a week ago by his heroics reached its fundraising target of $145,000.

The National Homeless Collective said the money will be held in a trust fund for him and an accountancy firm has offered to oversee it and give financial advice.

He faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court briefly on Saturday morning and is expected to apply for bail later in the day.

A lawyer appearing briefly on his behalf said Rogers was homeless and had ongoing drug issues. Rogers is being assessed for a court support program which would allow him to be bailed with conditions including that he receive treatment and community support services.