Peter Ewen: Paddington man in court over alleged 2GB threats

Police allege a man let out his lockdown frustrations by making threats to kill police horses on the 2GB website about killing police horses, a court has heard.

An avid 2GB listener has been scolded in court after allegedly threatening to kill police horses on their website in frustration over the prolonged Sydney lockdown.

Paddington man Peter Robert Ewen, 65, is alleged to have let his anger out through the broadcaster on Sunday by referencing knives and saying “the horses are going to be killed”, Central Local Court heard.

Ewen’s lawyer argued the housing commission resident has a long history of mental health issues and was currently an outpatient at a Sydney facility, receiving medication while he is accused of making the threats.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Manning said the alleged threats could be taken to have been made directly at police, regardless if police horses were the target.

A man will face court after allegedly threatening to harm police horses online. Horses from the Mounted Unit of NSW Police are seen in Hyde Park on July 31. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

“It’s the case Mr Ewen was upset about the lockdown, of course the entirety of NSW is, but he’s taken his frustration out on a public spot being the 2GB radio station,” Sgt Manning said.

“They are quite specific to police horses and there were numerous.

“If someone made threats to police horses what hope does the general community have (that they won’t be carried out).”

Ewen was arrested on Wednesday after investigators from Strike Force Seasoned – the task force set up in the wake of last month’s “freedom” protest – were made aware of several comments allegedly made by Ewen on the 2BG website.

He has been charged with four counts of use carriage service to harass or menace.

In court on Thursday, Ewen interrupted when his interstate criminal history was being mentioned claiming that one incident was from when “I kicked one of my students”.

Thousands of people descended on Sydney’s CBD to protest lockdowns on July 24.

The court was told there was a warrant from 1999 in Queensland still on his record and one conviction from WA in the 1970s.

Ewen, the court heard, had lived at the same address in Paddington since 2004 and had two dogs waiting for him at home as his lawyer successfully applied for his release on bail.

His lawyer argued Ewen never had any intention on following through with the threats and will likely seek to have the cases dismissed under mental health grounds.

Magistrate Margert Quinn granted him bail on several conditions, including that he not make any remarks on 2GB or other networks about harming police horses.

“In the background to this there police are being attacked for doing their job in public,” she said. “The threats made were sent to 2GB saying ‘the horses are going to be killed’, not one but four.

“There are references to knives and to dead police horses. These sort of comments in this environment are totally unacceptable.”