Richard Pusey erupts, slams magistrate in bail hearing

Eastern Freeway Porsche driver Richard Pusey has erupted in a bail hearing over charges including an alleged assault on his wife, saying the justice system “doesn’t work”.

Richard Pusey is facing multiple charges. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Richard Pusey has blasted a magistrate saying he would “get better justice in Belarus under Lukashenko” before disconnecting from his online court hearing.

The mortgage broker was set to apply for bail in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday, but became frustrated when magistrate Luisa Bazzani referred to releasing court documents to the media.

Appearing from the Melbourne Remand Centre, Pusey stood up from his chair and told everyone to “go home now” because he no longer wanted to apply for bail.

“I am really not interested in this judicial system,” Pusey said.

“It doesn’t work, it doesn’t help anyone.

“I would get better justice in Belarus under Lukashenko.”

Ms Bazzani and Pusey’s lawyer Manny Nicolosi tried to interrupt him, but he continued speaking.

“Everybody, go home now,” he said.

“Thank you very much. I’m ending it. Goodbye. Thank you. I’m going.”

Richard Pusey. Picture: Ian Currie

Pusey, 42, was jailed in April for 10 months and placed on a two-year good behaviour bond for speeding offences and his filming of the Eastern Freeway crash where four police officers were killed on April 22 last year.

He completed that sentence in May, having spent time already on remand, but was not freed back into the community pending further allegations before the court.

Monday’s hearing heard he had five matters before the court, including charges of false imprisonment, make threats to kill and reckless conduct endangering serious injury relating to an alleged assault on his wife at their Fitzroy home, which ended in police arresting him on the roof, on December 28.

He is also facing a single charge of criminal damage, where he allegedly used a key to scratch a motorbike following a road rage incident in March 2019.

Police have also charged Pusey with four counts of using a carriage service to menace after he allegedly fired off a series of threatening emails to a Westpac bank worker he had been dealing with regarding multiple credit card disputes in August 2019.

Ms Bazzani gave Pusey’s lawyer time to try and make contact with him to see if he would return to the virtual hearing.

But when the case returned, the court heard Pusey was refusing requests by custodial officers to attend.

Mr Nicolosi withdrew the bail application.