SA Police tell court they don’t oppose bail for alleged extremist Anthony Paul Dobson if he’s banned from speaking to neo-Nazis

SA Police have told a court they don’t oppose an alleged extremist and bombmaker being released on bail – so long as he’s banned from talking to Australia’s neo-Nazis.

A man who collected anarchist materials, guerilla warfare notes, IRA bomb-making instructions and other “recipes for disaster” can be safely bailed if he is banned from speaking to Australia’s neo-Nazis, a court has been told.

On Tuesday, SA Police told the Adelaide Magistrates Court they did not oppose Anthony Paul Dobson being released from jail to live with his parents.

However, they said Mr Dobson’s bail should include a condition he have no contact with the National Socialist Network or European Australian Movement extremist groups.

That submission sat poorly with the state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal.

“Mr Dobson has already entered a guilty plea to one of the charges … on the face of it, these are really serious charges,” she said.

“The protection of the community is my primary concern … you should not be assuming I’m giving him bail just because police don’t oppose me doing so.”

Mr Dobson, 23, of Dudley Park, has pleaded guilty to one count of possessing extremist material.

He is further charged with possessing a document or record of information for terrorist acts, and multiple counts of using, possessing or supplying instructions to make explosives.

The charges arise from police raids of 15 homes around Adelaide, in April, in connection with alleged ideological extremism.

Patrick Patmore, 32, of Salisbury East, was also charged and was arrested for a second time in August following further inquiries.

Justin Bassett, 28, of Surrey Downs, was arrested as well – he was fined and spared a conviction after pleading guilty to possessing extremist materials.

Following the raids, National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell told followers the arrests would “not slow us down” and that “a lot of fun activities” were planned.

On Tuesday, Judge Hribal said she was not prepared to consider bail for Mr Dobson without hearing further evidence.

Police prosecutors said the charges against him related to material found on electronic devices seized from his home during the raids.

“He had a copy of ‘The Anarchist’s Cookbook: Recipes for Disaster’, a handbook for the IRA and notes on guerilla warfare,” they said.

“Another document was called ‘150 questions for guerillas’, and there was documentation in relation to making amphetamines at home.

“That was called ‘Uncle Fester’s Secrets of Methylamphetamine Manufacturing’ … police also found footage of the Christchurch terrorist attack.”

Counsel for Mr Dobson said their client had no prior criminal history, and that his parents were prepared to act as guarantors and have him reside at their Adelaide Hills home.

Judge Hribal said neither that nor the submissions of prosecutors had eased her concerns.

“I am going to hold off for more information … I want to know why the prosecution position toward bail has changed (since Mr Dobson’s arrest) given these very serious charges,” she said.

She remanded him in custody to a further hearing next month.