Daniel Simon Wallace from Tuncurry RFS in Forster court for stalking captain

A Mid-North Coast volunteer firefighter, who helped battle the 2019/2020 bushfires, has learnt his fate for stalking and intimidating the captain of his brigade.

Daniel Wallace appeared at Forster Local Court.

A Mid-North Coast firefighter who helped battle the devastating bushfires of 2019/20 taunted the captain of his brigade, calling him a “f***ing dog” and allegedly threatening to kill him.

Daniel Simon Wallace was in Forster Local Court on Thursday charged with stalk and intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm.

The 50-year-old from Tuncurry has been a volunteer firefighter with various brigades in the region for the past seven years – the last four with the Tuncurry Rural Fire Service (RFS).

His victim has been a member of the Tuncurry RFS for seven years since retiring to the area, and brigade captain for about the past four years.

According to police facts tendered to court, Wallace is unemployed and dedicates most of his time to volunteering.

Rural Fire Service firefighter Daniel Wallace at Forster Local Court on January 19.

In early September last year the victim texted Wallace to ask why he had disobeyed a directive.

In an abusive response, Wallace labelled him a “prick”.

A few days later, on September 5, Wallace texted his victim asking why he had not been deployed to assist an external organisation.

According to the facts, the decision not to deploy him was made in collaboration with the RFS District Office due to complaints about his behaviour while assisting with the Lismore flood response.

There were no direct threats made in this exchange but the tone made the victim fear for his safety, court documents outlined.

A Tuncurry RFS truck on the shores of Wallis Lake. Picture: Facebook

Wallace then requested a meeting with the captain at the fire shed asking that a group officer be present.

The meeting eventually went ahead after Wallace cancelled the first appointment but according to police facts, Wallace began yelling and questioning why other senior officers were also there for the meeting.

Wallace told the victim “I’m going to kill you” and called him a “f***ing dog”, according to documents tendered to court.

He rode off on his bike and that evening sent another text to the captain saying he was going to ruin his life.

After the victim reported the various incidents to police, Wallace was arrested on the afternoon of September 7 and admitted to sending a text saying he was going to ruin the victim’s life and that things “blew up” between the two.

He denied threatening to kill the victim.

Wallace had pleaded not guilty to the charge but Magistrate Allison Hawkins found him guilty without recording a conviction.

Instead she placed him on a two-year conditional release order to be of good behaviour and not to go within 100 metres of the victim’s home or the Tuncurry RFS station on South Street.

Ms Hawkins recognised the considerable contribution Wallace has made to the community as a volunteer but described the offending as “the behaviour of a young, angry man”.