Terror offender who threatened to behead cops to remain behind bars

A Sydney man who threatened to behead cops and kill a magistrate has been ordered to remain behind bars.

A schizophrenic terror offender who threatened to behead police and murder a magistrate will remain in prison for another year.

The NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon granted an application brought by the minister for home affairs for Blake Nicholas Pender to remain in custody.

The government had asked that he remain in jail for a further three years, arguing he represented a danger to the community despite having served his full prison term.

His lawyers argued he was safe to be released into a residential care facility, however Justice Michael Walton granted a one-year continuing detention order.

Pender was arrested in June 2017 for a series of bizarre and shocking crimes during which he declared he was “at war” with Australia, praised ISIS and was caught on tape threatening to “martyr” himself by blowing up a train.

Blake Pender will remain in prison for a further year. Picture: AAP

He was arrested following an incident in Sydney during which he approached three police officers while speaking in a foreign language and attempted to pull a 22.5cm knife from his sleeve.

When he was placed in handcuffs he told the officers: “If I still had the knife I’d f***ing kill you all” and “The proudest thing a man can do is behead a cop”.

While in custody at Surry Hills Police Station, he threatened to rape the wives of police officers and said: “You know (Lindt Cafe siege gunman) Man Monis? I am better than him, he was just the start, he should have killed you all.”

He was remanded in custody and appeared via videolink in Central Local Court later that day.

After he was denied bail he threatened to kill Magistrate Joanne Keogh, police and the military.

“If I had it my way I’ll be beheading all of you one by f***ing one, f***ing dogs, f*** you all man. Allahu Akbar. I’m at war with your country. I’m at war with your government,” he said.

He added: “F*** you judge you’ll be next. Allahu Akbar, Inshallah… f*** you, I’ll cut your f***ing head off you dog. I told you I’ll f***ing kill everyone in that courtroom.”

He also made comments praising ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

While in prison he was caught on a phone tap telling his girlfriend of his plan to “blow up a train” and saying: “I’m gearing myself up for martyrdom”.

He was set to face trial in November 2019 but pleaded guilty to possessing a knife connected with a terrorist act and threatening a judicial officer.

Blake Pender on Tuesday lost his bid to be released from jail. Picture: Facebook

He served his full four-year jail term. However, the government applied to the Supreme Court for a continuing detention order for him to be kept in custody for a further three years.

During a hearing the government expressed fears that he would not engage with mental health services and that he could deteriorate rapidly.

His lawyers claimed he was now mentally stable, safe to be released and that his use of alcohol and drugs could be managed.

They proposed for him to be released to live at a residential facility with 24-hour carers.

However, Justice Walton on Tuesday ordered him to remain in jail for a further 12 months and he will now be eligible to be released in September next year.

Pender, watching on via videolink from Silverwater Prison, did not react as he was told he would remain in jail for another year.