AFP officer Liam Sadler ducks behind parents while leaving court over harassment charge

An AFP officer who once worked on the PM’s protection detail ducked behind his elderly parents while leaving court charged with allegedly harassing his ex-girlfriend. See the video.

As an Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer attached to the Prime Minister’s protection detail and often seen in public, one of Liam Joel Sadler’s ultimate responsibilities was to take a bullet for the country’s head of state.

But when it came to leaving court charged with allegedly harassing his ex-girlfriend after she dumped him, the 26-year-old bodyguard was less keen to front the media, choosing instead to duck behind his elderly parents.

Sadler, of Empire Bay, faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday charged with one count of using a carriage service to menace or harass his ex-girlfriend.

The officer, who the court heard was suspended on full pay, applied to have the charge dealt with under mental health provisions.

His lawyer Michal Mantaj told the court Sadler had a diagnosed mental illness including anxiety, depression, mixed mood and adjustment disorder.

Sadler was attached to the Prime Minister’s protection detail with the AFP at the time of the alleged offending. Picture: supplied

He said Sadler maintained his plea of not guilty and would defend the allegation at a hearing if his mental health application was unsuccessful.

He said Sadler was attached to the Prime Minister’s protection detail at the time of the alleged offending and any adverse finding would have “a more onerous” impact on his career than most people.

Sadler took exception to the media attention outside court before going back inside and returning under a hoodie. Picture: NewsLocal

Mr Mantaj said the facts of the case were largely unchallenged in that his client sent his ex-girlfriend three emails on July 14 last year seeking to reconcile their relationship and a further five emails the following day.

He said in the context of a young man, who was breaking up with his first true love, it was “understandable” he would seek to reach out to her but it did not amount to “harassment”.

However Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said in a psychological report tendered in support of Sadler’s mental health application, the AFP officer showed “no insight to the victim” and that he felt as though he was being “hard done by on every level”.

Ms Ellis said the report was full of self-serving statements in which Sadler was “painting himself as the hero in the relationship”.

Sadler was part of the PM’s protection detail. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

She said the victim went to Toukley Police Station on June 30, 2024, to report Sadler but officers deemed his behaviour up to that point did not constitute harassment.

The court heard the couple got together in September 2023 but she called it off in June last year after returning from holidays and blocked his number.

Sadler’s ex-girlfriend blocked him after she broke up and he allegedly kept trying to contact her. Picture: NewsLocal

The court further heard he sent her flowers and a card, which she threw away without reading, before unblocking him long enough to let him know she no longer wished to have any contact with him.

However Ms Ellis said despite police warning Sadler on or around June 30 to back off, he continued to send her messages including one which implied he did not feel like living without her, which prompted a police welfare check.

Ms Ellis said despite Sadler conceding this was “inappropriate” he allegedly sent her the eight emails about two weeks later.

She declined Sadler’s mental health application and confirmed the hearing on October 27.

After walking out of court and spying the media, Sadler lamented to his elderly parents “they’re trying to film me” before going back inside.

His parents meanwhile valiantly put their bodies on the line trying to block this masthead from taking their son’s picture when he returned a short time later cowering under a hoodie.