Celebrity stalker Kodei Mulcahy dodges conviction over Rhonda Burchmore con
Rhonda Burchmore has broken her silence after a Werribee man escaped conviction for perjury over a bizarre hoax involving the singer after he argued it would end his career.
Police & Courts
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Aussie performer Rhonda Burchmore has spoken out after a celebrity stalker escaped conviction.
A celebrity stalker charged over a bizarre con involving much-loved Burchmore has escaped conviction after he argued it would end his career in childcare.
Kodei Mulcahy, 23, pleaded guilty to perjury over a lie told to police that he was assaulted by Ms Burchmore at the opening of Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 musical on July 14 last year.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Burchmore said: “I just want the whole thing behind me, I don’t want to give him oxygen.
“Victoria police have dealt with this and I feel a bit more secure performing because of them,” she said.
Mr Mulcahy, from Werribee, appeared virtually at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he said he would admit to the charge only if he did not receive a criminal conviction.
He told the court a conviction would end his six-year career in childcare as his working with children check would be revoked.
“If it saves me a criminal conviction, I am willing to pay whatever amount I have to compensate for the police’s time (and) the court’s time. I am at the risk of losing my job for this and I just want this over and done with,” Mr Mulcahy said.
Magistrate Hartnett said his offending was serious and had caused “stress” to Ms Burchmore.
“I accept that a conviction for this matter would have real and significant consequences for you,” she said.
Magistrate Hartnett gave a sentence indication of a fine without conviction which was accepted by Mulcahy in exchange for his guilty plea.
He was ordered to pay $2000.
Police obtained CCTV footage of Mr Mulcahy and Ms Burchmore at the star-studded event having a “very short conversation” before Ms Burchmore’s husband stepped in and asked Mr Mulcahy to leave.
Two days later Mr Mulcahy called a police assistance line, reporting he had been assaulted and later made a formal complaint that he had been hit “with a heavy and hard force to his right shoulder”.
A court in May heard that CCTV did not show an assault and that a doctor noted he suffered the shoulder injury at an event in Geelong.
Mr Mulcahy has made headlines in the past for other bizarre celebrity claims including that he was married to Channel 9 newsreader Peter Hitchener.
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