Telegram messages allegedly show plot before Mt Eliza 5G fire

A man who police allege dug a backyard hole to ‘imprison’ Daniel Andrews is accused of plotting a 5G tower fire on an encrypted messaging app.

A man accused of causing $1m worth of damage to a Telstra phone tower because it carried 5G allegedly dug a hole in his backyard to imprison Daniel Andrews, a court has been told.

Nathan Glover, 44, was refused bail in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday night.

Nathan Glover allegedly set fire to a Telstra 5G tower, causing $1m in damage. Picture: Facebook

A police summary read to the court alleged the Mt Eliza man rode on an electric scooter to the Telstra tower about 1.5 kilometres from his home, broke in and started a fire.

Mr Glover denies any involvement in the October 7 fire.

The blaze caused about $1m in damage and took telecommunications offline, endangering safety by disabling the public’s ability to call emergency services, the court was told.

Security cameras at Mt Eliza’s Telstra tower filmed a man in the early hours of October 7. Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

A man who police allege was Mr Glover was captured on CCTV about 1.30am at the location of the fire. Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

Police allege a search of Mr Glover’s home turned up magic mushrooms, cannabis, wire cutters, petrol, two samurai swords and an electric scooter and clothing that match CCTV footage of the offender.

There was also a six metre by 1.5 metre hole in the backyard, which Mr Glover allegedly told police was to imprison the Victorian Premier.

Police allegedly found magic mushrooms when they searched Mr Glover’s home after a fire at a Telstra tower at Mt Eliza. Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

Police also allegedly found two samurai swords when they searched Mr Glover’s home. Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

Police allege an account on the encrypted messaging app Telegram with the name “Nate Gluv” volunteered in September for “special ops” in the chat group titled Hoodlums of Melbourne Special Ops.

“I’m down for special ops only if I get to burn something,” the account allegedly posted.

“Those 5G towers would make a nice fire,” the chat’s administrator allegedly responded.

“My thinking exactly,” the Nate Gluv account allegedly replied.

An account named Nate Gluv allegedly spoke about setting fire to a 5G tower prior to the October 7 act via encrypted messaging app Telegram, a court has ben told Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

The Nate Gluv account discussed a fire at a 5G tower with another person on Telegram, images tendered by police to the court show. Picture: Victoria Courts via NCA NewsWire

Mr Glover is charged with criminal damage by fire, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing cannabis, possessing drug of dependence, and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

The court was told he was on bail for using a carriage service to harass at the time of the fire after he allegedly expressed plans on Facebook in October last year to capture Daniel Andrews, place him under arrest and put him before a kangaroo court.

When applying for bail without a lawyer on Thursday, Mr Glover said: “I have a family to support. “

He claimed he was the victim of a “smear campaign” because he spoke out against police brutality at protests.

The father of one told the court he was a concreter and entertainer.

He will next appear on January 13.

Originally published as Telegram messages allegedly show plot before Mt Eliza 5G fire