Man’s charge over death threats to tech CEO dropped
By Savannah Meacham
A man has been cleared of making death threats to a tech chief executive on a chat forum but admitted refusing to give police his phone pass code while they were investigating the case.
David Lindsay Davies, 40, appeared at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.
“I apologetically plead guilty,” he told the court.
David Lindsay Davies leaving Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.Credit: AAP
Police initially alleged Davies posted messages on the chat forum Discord threatening, intimidating and harassing Earth 2 chief executive Shane Isaac and his family between June and October 2024.
Earth 2 is an online platform that shows a virtual version of Earth, where people can buy parcels of land that would not exist in the real world.
Shane Isaac, the founder and chief executive of metaverse project Earth 2.Credit: YouTube
While detailing context to Magistrate Clare Kelly for a restraining order for Isaac, police prosecutor Jordan Theed alleged Davies had a handle on Discord where he posted several threats to the tech CEO and his family.
Theed alleged Davies threatened to kill Isaac and his family on their flight from Seoul in South Korea to Brisbane and posted their itinerary on the platform.
The magistrate heard Davies allegedly posted photos of the tech CEO’s family and a photo of Isaac’s wife in a bikini with sexualised comments.
Police carried out a search warrant at Davies’ Fairfield home on October 26 for electronic devices.
Theed said police seized an iPhone 12 and other devices on the condition Davies provided access, including his pin code.
Davies allegedly refused, stating “he didn’t want to” and police warned this would be an offence.
An image from the Facebook page of Earth 2, a metaverse project founded by entrepreneur Shane Isaac.Credit: Facebook
He was charged with unlawful stalking, intimidation and harassing, and contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.
Theed offered no evidence for the first charge on Friday and it was dismissed by the magistrate.
Davies’ lawyer William Kennedy argued Davies did not comply with providing his phone pin code as he was in a state of “shock and stress” when police arrived at his door.
Kennedy argued for 200 hours of community service with no conviction recorded for the offence based on Davies’ lack of criminal history and mental health conditions.
But Theed said it was not minor offending that police were investigating given the threats to Isaac and that Davies’ behaviour hindered the police investigation.
Kelly sentenced Davies to six months’ imprisonment wholly suspended.
She also approved a restraining order for Isaac against Davies.
Davies, flanked by his wife and lawyer, waved to media outside court but declined to comment.
AAP