Officer allegedly directed threats to Sarah Hanson-Young’s relative
A SYDNEY police officer charged over an offensive phone call made to Sarah Hanson-Young’s office had allegedly targeted the Senator’s young relative, it can be revealed.
NSW
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THE Sydney police officer charged over an offensive phone call to Sarah Hanson-Young’s office had allegedly made a violent and graphic threat towards a young relative in the call.
The 56-year-old senior constable is alleged to have made the “vile threat” in the midst of the storm over slurs against the high-profile politician by Senator David Leyonhjelm.
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Senator Hanson-Young confirmed a young relative was the target of the police officer’s alleged threat, which is understood to have been graphic and violent in nature.
She said that after the charges were laid, and as the news was about to break, she had to go through the harrowing process of letting the relative know about the threat.
“This alleged threat, received by my office … It was vile and extremely distressing,” Ms Hanson-Young said.
“No one should be threatened in this manner.
“I was shocked and distressed, but I’m really thankful that the Federal Police have taken it seriously and that they’ve investigated the matter and it’s now going to be before the court.”
When she made the complaint about the alleged threat to the AFP, Senator Hanson-Young was unaware that it involved a police officer.
The phone call to Senator Hanson-Young’s office was in July while there was a whirlwind of publicly around sexist comments Senator Leyonhjelm made to Senator Hanson-Young, which she has described as “slut-shaming” and are now the subject of defamation proceedings.
“The threat was received in the midst of the public debate over David Leyonhjelm’s comments about me,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
The police officer, from the Central Metropolitan Command, has been charged with one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend and will face court in November.