Simon Key pleads guilty to stalking SA Premier Steven Marshall
A man who has insisted, since his arrest, that he is guilty of stalking Premier Steven Marshall has pleaded guilty in court – despite doctors saying questions remain about his mental state.
Police & Courts
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An Adelaide man has pleaded guilty to stalking SA Premier Steven Marshall – but questions remain as to whether or not he suffers from a mental impairment.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, Simon Key fired his lawyer – for the second time – and confessed to the crime.
Key, 42, was arrested in May and charged with one count of stalking a person to influence the performance of a public officer.
Police have alleged Key left an “threatening, aggressive and abusive” voicemail on Mr Marshall’s phone.
They further allege he named other MPs including Stephen Wade, Vickie Chapman and Corey Wingard in that message.
Despite claims Key has a “long history” of such behaviour, and has come to the attention of counter-terrorism officers in the past, Mr Marshall has said he “felt safe”.
In August, a psychological report tendered with the court suggested Key may not have understood the wrongfulness of his actions.
A month later, Key insisted he wanted to plead guilty and fired his lawyer in court – only to re-hire her, minutes later, when she raised a possible defence to the charges.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, dropped a further charge that Key had threatened to cause harm to another person.
On Thursday, the lawyer told the court that, following a “discussion” with Key, he had terminated her services once again.
“When we discussed my view as to the prospective success of that defence, he decided once again to represent himself,” she said.
The state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, noted a further psychological report had been tendered since the last hearing.
“It indicates that Key is fit to plead but makes a provisional diagnosis of mental impairment, saying further information is needed,” she said.
She remanded Key in custody to face the District Court in December, when a date for sentencing submissions will be set.