Sarah Rachel Andros charged over alleged fake bomb threats to federal MPs
A woman who labels herself a content creator on social media allegedly made bomb threats to two federal MPs and sent a government department more than 32,000 emails, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A Blue Mountains “content creator” accused of making false bomb threats against two federal MPs and bombarding a government department with more than 32,000 emails in 24 hours has had her charges dismissed under mental health legislation.
Police allege 36-year-old Sarah Rachel Andros, whose Facebook page features multiple pictures of her dressed in lingerie and a tight-fitting school uniform, sent multiple disturbing emails to the offices of senators Penny Wong and Don Farrell between December 1 and December 7, 2022.
While the details of what was written in the emails was not outlined in court, police allege Andros sent the correspondence “with the intention of inducing a false belief that an explosive device or a dangerous or harmful thing had been, or would be left in a place”.
The court heard a further email of a similar nature was sent to the Office of Legal Services Coordination, within the Attorney General’s department.
The matter was immediately reported to federal police, who issued Andros with a notice to attend court in December on a charge of using a carriage service to deliver a hoax of threat.
It is further alleged that Andros sent a barrage of emails to the Attorney General’s department in a 24-hour period sometime in early 2023.
According to a police press release issued at the time, Andros’ alleged actions sent the department’s email system into meltdown, impairing workers from operating the IT systems and stopping members of the public from contacting the office.
Police allege Andros used multiple domains to send 32,397 emails, “resulting in continued disruption and harassment”, they said.
She was arrested at her western Sydney home on March 1 and charged with causing impairment of electronic computer communication.
Andros did not enter pleas to either charge and was not required to once her mental health application was lodged.
In Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court this week, Andros’ legal team said their client had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was unmedicated at the time of the alleged offending.
However, they said she was now on a community treatment plan and was being supported under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Magistrate Glenn Bartley agreed to dismiss Andros’ charges under Commonwealth mental health legislation.
Andros, who appeared barefoot in court, will be required to abide by a three-year order which includes ongoing treatment from medical professionals in her hometown of Katoomba.
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