Crepe cafe owner turned delusional ‘troll hunter’ Lazar Karisik jailed for threatening Police Commissioner Grant Stevens

A former cafe owner in a “meth induced delusion” threatened to murder the state’s top cop before telling police he’d “be acquitted” after he was arrested by an anti-terrorism squad.

A former cafe owner who has labelled himself “Lord Major Troll Hunter” before threatening to slit the throat of the state’s top cop was in a meth induced delusion when he posted his violent plans on social media, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, former crepe cafe owner Lazar Karisik faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court via audio visual link from prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault.

The court heard that in May, the 29-year-old had taken to social media threatening to murder SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens in a disturbing video, claiming he would “slit” the top cop’s throat.

In sentencing, magistrate Karim Soetratma said Karisik had been charged with assault rather than threatening to cause harm due to the seriousness of his threats, and the “reasonable grounds to believe that (he) was in a position to carry out the threat and intended to do so.”

“The offence arose because, at some stage, you created a video which you then posted on social media,” Mr Soetratma said.

Lazar Karisik in an Instagram video in which he allegedly threatened to murder SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: Supplied

Karisik owned a crepe business that was targeted in an arson attack. Picture: Facebook

“At times, during the video, you referred to yourself as Lord Major Troll Hunter, and at others, you referred to yourself as Lazar Karisik.

“You said ‘make no mistake, share this message to everyone. I Lazar Karisik, want to murder – what’s that f***ing little white piece of s***, oh, Grant Stevens.’

“You said ‘I want to murder him, I want to slit his throat and I’ll be acquitted’.”

Mr Soetratma said that Karisik had added texts and images on the video, displaying the words “I am coming to murder Grant Stevens you pedophile.”

Karisik uploaded the footage to Instagram, and police were notified of the vision in the early hours of May 18 this year.

Upon searching Karisik’s home in Croydon Park, they found the clothing items worn by him in the video, as well as photos of Grant Stevens on his phone.

During in a “lengthy” interview with police, Karisik had expressed concerns that a fire in his business hadn’t been adequately investigated.

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens declined to provide a victim impact statement. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“You also suggested that the person seen in the video was Lord Major Troll Hunter and not you, despite the fact you had used your own name throughout the video,” Mr Soetratma said.

“You also told police that you would ‘legally murder’ Grant Stevens, but later you suggested that murder didn’t mean to kill anyone, but rather you were referring to a group of crows.”

Mr Soetratma also said that Karisik, who has been in custody since his arrest in May, had a lengthy history of drug use, and had was in a “meth induced delusion” when he posted the bizarre video.

“(A psychologist) confirmed that you had a long history of stimulant abuse, initially cocaine, and later methamphetamine. He said you had described a bizarre paranoid delusional interpretation of events.”

“You went to some trouble to make these threats on Grant Stevens. Not only did you make the threats, but you created the accompanying video and text and posted it online.”

Mr Soetratma said he would have sentenced Karisik to one year in prison if it weren’t for his early plea of guilty, which entitled him to a 40 per cent discount on his sentence.

He reduced the sentence to 7 months, but suspended the final two months of the sentence, meaning Karisik will be eligible for release in two weeks.

“It will be a condition that you attend a psychologist or psychiatrist, and take any medications prescribed for your condition.”

Grant Stevens declined to provide a victim impact statement.