Top cop targeted, dubbed a murderer in bizarre emails sent from alleged southeast stalker

A Bonbeach man has appeared in court accused of stalking a high-ranking police officer, forcing him to relive horrifying memories relating to his involvement in a shooting believed to have sparked the chilling Walsh St killings.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill says he fears for his family’s safety after he was sent a number of unsettling emails. Picture: AAP

A top cop was left feeling fearful for his safety and that of his family after he was allegedly sent a series of unsettling emails relating to his involvement in a fatal shooting.

Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill was forced to relive “traumatic” memories from the shooting death of bank robber Graeme Jensen in Narre Warren on October 11, 1988 after Bonbeach man Damien Brown allegedly sent him a number of messages to his private Victoria Police email address suggesting he was guilty of murder.

Hill and seven others were charged with Jensen’s murder after he was shot in the head during an attempted police intercept — and because Hill allegedly fired the shot that killed Jensen, his was the only charge that eventually got to court, where it was dismissed.

Jensen’s death is believed to have sparked a revenge attack where his friend and criminal Victor Peirce and others gunned down innocent constables Steven Tynan, 22 and Damian Eyre, 20 on Walsh St one day later.

Police arrested Brown at his Nepean Highway address on April 3 and charged him with stalking, alleging he sent the emails from his personal address to Assistant Commissioner Hill’s private address in March which suggested he ‘murdered an unarmed man’ and was ‘guilty as charged’.

Graeme Jensen lies slumped in driver's seat after being shot dead by Victorian police in Narre Warren, one day before the Walsh St killings in South Yarra.

Victorian criminal Graeme Jensen, who is the subject of the alleged stalking emails, was shot dead by police in October 1988.

The prosecution allege Brown sent a single message with the word ‘Jensen’ in April as well as more emails in July last year which included screenshots of online articles relating to the Walsh St murders and others which stated that he knew Jensen and knew other people in prison.

The defence argued Brown suffered from schizophrenia, depression and anxiety and there was a “lack of malice” in the messages.

The police said the emails caused Assistant Commissioner Hill “to feel fear and apprehension both in his personal and professional life”.

“(The alleged offending) brings back extreme personal memories about an incident where he had to shoot someone,” they said.

It is unclear if Brown was known to Jensen and it is unclear how he obtained Assistant Commissioner Hill’s personal email address.

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Brown’s lawyer suggested her client could use a mobile phone from Target which had no access to the internet if he was to be released on bail but the prosecution said there was “no way” of stopping him from accessing the internet on other devices if he wanted to.

“This is a very unusual case when it comes to stalking, (Brown) made no effort to hide his identity,” Magistrate Vicky Prapas said.

Brown interrupted the video link hearing to say that he would not contact Assistant Commissioner Hill again.

He will face court again on Thursday.