Court hears staff ‘harassed’ over their decision about fence
A disagreement over the height of a fence led to an Annandale solicitor blaming an independent investigator for the physical injury of his wife, a court has heard.
Inner West
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A solicitor facing charges of intimidating staff at a Sydney council over a bitter fence dispute told an independent investigator “I will make sure you pay”, a court has heard.
Jonathan Hugh Douglas Bolton represented himself in day two of a hearing at Downing Centre Local Court, where he faces 15 charges including using a carriage service to harass and intimidation.
The charges allegedly relate to 190 emails and phone calls made to 10 Inner West Council staff and a member of the council’s Internal Ombudsman between February 2018 and June 2019.
Bolton, 57, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Magistrate Phillip Stewart heard on Tuesday Inner West Council ombudsman Suellen Bullock received “harassing and intimidating” phone messages from the Annandale-based lawyer on October 30, 2018, which lasted five and 10 minutes respectively.
The court heard Ms Bullock was tasked with investigating Bolton’s complaint about the approval process of the fence on Pritchard St, before she tabled a report recommending more information be given to parties during a development application process on September 21, 2018.
Bolton’s anger, the court heard, surrounded the council’s approval of his neighbour’s development application, which increased the height of the fence boarding his property from 1.76m to over 2m.
In the audio played in court, Bolton was heard to call Ms Bullock a “disgrace” and claimed she didn’t “care about your job”.
He threatened to sue Ms Bullock, called the report a “hatchet job”, and claimed its failure to find in his favour had led to the assault of himself and his wife Rita.
“We did ask could we please have a meeting or my wife and me could be assaulted,” Mr Bolton said in the recording.
“How do you live with yourself?” Bolton was heard to say, also accusing her of lying in the report.
“I will make sure you pay. I will not rest, I’ve got a reputation for not giving up.”
Ms Bullock said she was “personally offended” by the messages: “I had done my very best in this matter”.
The court heard Ms Bullock had advised Bolton to cease contact following the final report, and advised him any further issues should be taken to the NSW Ombudsman or the Office of Local Government.
The hearing continues.
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