The Snitch: Man charged with harassing council, MPs for 10 years

A man has been charged over a 10-year campaign of harassment against councillors and MPs after his mum was voted off Blue Mountains City Council in 2008.

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It’s not unusual for mother-son relationships to be strong but Robert Ellis Kennedy took his maternal love to the next level.

The 37-year-old allegedly carried out a decade-long campaign of harassment against councillors and MPs after his mum, Lynette Trindall, was voted off Blue Mountains City Council in 2008.

Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle. Picture: Tim Hunter

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill.

Ms Trindall, a councillor, was replaced by Brendan Luchetti, who stepped down as deputy mayor in 2014.

It’s alleged that didn’t sit well with Kennedy, who recognised Mr Luchetti as a PE teacher from his high school.

A court will hear that Kennedy levelled some very serious — but baseless — allegations against Mr Luchetti and embarked on an unrelenting campaign of harassment.

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When a police investigation found Kennedy’s claims were false, he allegedly pushed on.

Kennedy allegedly bombarded councillors, MPs and public servants with menacing phone calls, emails and social media posts alleging a cover-up.

After five years on the receiving end of the alleged threats, police took out an apprehended violence order to protect Blue Mountains City Mayor Mark Greenhill.

“I have been the subject of unwanted behaviour towards me by an individual I have not previously met,” Cr Greenhill told Snitch this week.

“I have not spoken about this publicly and it has been very difficult.”

It is alleged Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle was also one of Kennedy’s targets.

On Wednesday afternoon, detectives from the Fixated Persons Unit charged Kennedy with stalk/intimidation and using a carriage service to offend.

He was granted bail to appear in Penrith Local Court on September 5.

GRIEVING SC RETURNS

NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb SC has been welcomed back to work after taking a prolonged period of leave to grieve over the death of his wife Annette from a medical condition in April.

NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb.

In his absence, Peter McGrath SC filled the position before returning to his role as one of three deputy directors.

Mr Babb will now have to deal with the financial pressures facing the ODPP following a particularly harsh state budget.

Snitch has been told the office was preparing to hire a number of new crown prosecutors to ease the caseloads on the existing staff. But the number of potential hires is now either at risk or on hold while the government tightens its purse strings.

Internally, there are rumblings that cases could be affected, with top-performing prosecutors being asked to stretch themselves across more cases.

SILVER SERVICE

He’s locked up Middle Eastern gangsters and fought the drug war at the borders. Now Detective Superintendent Peter McErlain will return after a year-long break to head up the NSW Police Dog Unit.

Detective Superintendent Peter McErlain is the new boss of the NSW Police Dog Unit.

The seasoned investigator — known to colleagues as “Silver” — will take over as boss of police pups from tomorrow.

On the other side of the city, Superintendent Steve Hegarty will settle in as the boss of the Marine Area Command after Superintendent Mark Hutchins hung up his boots for a job at Roads and Maritime Services.

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Originally published as The Snitch: Man charged with harassing council, MPs for 10 years