Graeme Buckmaster allegedly threatened Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and Magistrate John Wells

A magistrate has refused to hear a man’s case after he allegedly threatened to pummel another magistrate and leave SA’s highest-ranking police officer “with scars”.

A magistrate has refused to hear a truck driver’s pleas for his alleged threats against a top cop and another magistrate due to the “risk of apprehension of bias”.

Graeme Scott Buckmaster, 65, will now plead before a District Court judge after allegedly threatening to leave the SA Police Commissioner with scars and pummel a court magistrate if his licence was taken away.

During Mr Buckmaster’s bail application in June, the court heard he allegedly divulged threats about Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and Magistrate John Wells to his psychologist.

“He said that he would hurt the commissioner and that he would remember every time he looked in the mirror, making reference to scars that would be on the commissioner’s face,” a police prosecutor previously told the court.

“He said, ‘I will attack police and it will be Grant Stevens, not his minions below him’.”

Graeme Buckmaster. Picture: Facebook

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

The court heard Mr Buckmaster had referred to other court charges, which include a solo driver exceeding maximum work time and knowingly making a false or misleading statement.

“He stated that if the hearing did not go his way, he would attack the magistrate,” the police prosecutor said.

The court was told Mr Buckmaster allegedly told his psychologist, “I will jump the dock and pummel the magistrate if they dare to take away my licence”.

“He stated he’s had a good life, ‘I don’t care if I go to prison, it will be worth it’,” the police prosecutor said.

Buckmaster, of Semaphore, is charged with threatening a person on account of discharge of official duties and two counts of threatening to cause harm to police.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Adam Richards, for Mr Buckmaster, told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the charges being resolved in this jurisdiction.

Magistrate Brett Dixon said he was surprised to hear this.

“Not only is there no magistrate that would hear this plea but given the risk of apprehension of bias there is no magistrate that should hear this plea,” he said.

Mr Richards said Mr Buckmaster, who is in custody, wished for the charges to be resolved in the magistrates jurisdiction.

“Mr Richards, will you be the magistrate sitting alongside Mr Wells in the lunch room after having dealt with Mr Buckmaster?” Mr Dixon asked.

Mr Dixon said he refused to hear the charges in the Magistrates Court and referred the matter to the District Court in January.