Man charged with stalking over alleged ‘threatening’ voicemails to Dan Andrews
A man has faced court on stalking charges after allegedly leaving Victorian Premier Dan Andrews “threatening” voicemails.
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A man has faced court accused of stalking and harassing Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.
Bradley Carter appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday for a bail application after what police allege was a “siege situation” at his Frankston North home.
Detective Senior Constable Thomas Crocket told the court he, alongside other officers from the Counter Terrorism Command, attended Mr Carter’s home on May 3.
He said Mr Carter had allegedly failed to attend court on several occasions, leading a magistrate to issue an arrest warrant.
The court heard Mr Carter was allegedly “threatening and abusive” and barricaded the home.
Senior Constable Crocket said officers forced entry as Mr Carter allegedly “waved a metal lamp stand threateningly”, before retreating to the kitchen.
He said they next saw him holding a camping stove.
“I’m ready to go, I’ll be a martyr and kill us all,” he allegedly said.
Senior Constable Crocket said officers withdrew and evacuated nearby homes amid concerns the home would be set on fire.
About an hour later, he said, Mr Carter surrendered peacefully and was charged with offences including assaulting a police officer, reckless conduct and threatening injury to resist arrest.
The court heard Mr Carter was arrested more than a year earlier on February 10, 2022, after allegedly making threatening phone calls to the Premier.
Senior Constable Crocket said on four occasions, Mr Carter allegedly left voicemails or spoke to staff at Mr Andrews’ office.
“You tell Danny boy my proxies are on the way, it’s up to him whether they’re wearing white or black hats,” one message allegedly read.
“You stole justice from the wrong man you little twerps.”
“They were informed of the virus three years before the virus.”
Under questioning from Mr Carter’s lawyer, Senior Constable Crocket said the Premier’s office passed on all calls of concern to the security investigations unit.
The unit, he said, investigates threats against the Premier and Cabinet as well as matters of national security.
He said Mr Carter’s messages were assessed as posing a “risk” leading to him being charged with allegedly stalking the Premier and using a carriage service to harass.
Opposing bail, prosecutors alleged Mr Carter posed a “grave” risk of reoffending, as well as failing to attend court and endangering the safety of the community.
His lawyer countered her client had some mental health issues he was receiving treatment for, and said the way police dealt with Mr Carter did not help.
“It strikes me there have been some issues with how police have decided to deal with Mr Carter that have not assisted,” she said.
Mr Carter was granted bail by Magistrate Pauline Spencer on conditions including that he does not contact any members of the Victorian Legislature.
She said while the allegations were “concerning”, it was clear his interactions with police would have been frightening.
He will return to court at a later date.
Originally published as Man charged with stalking over alleged ‘threatening’ voicemails to Dan Andrews
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