Caloundra candidate Mike Jessop to fight stalking, weapons charges after ‘body bag’ arrest

A Sunshine Coast election candidate has claimed a police case against him as “political persecution” after he was allegedly found with weapons, masks and a body bag outside a man’s home.

Independent candidate for Caloundra Mike Jessop visited a press conference on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday and spoke to media. Picture: Adam Head

Only days from the Queensland state election, it has emerged a Sunshine Coast candidate is facing weapon and stalking charges, where police allege he was found with a samurai sword, hammer and a “body bag”.

Police allege Caloundra independent candidate Mike Jessop, 69, stalked a man and tried to place a mobile device in his car before he was found near his home with a mask, weapons and a cadaver bag in his car.

The Little Mountain man was arrested on July 22 and charged with seven offences including unlawful stalking with a weapon, face masked with intent to commit indictable offence and possessing a house breaking instrument.

The political hopeful for Caloundra was previously refused bail after his arrest however was granted Supreme Court bail on September 17. His matters are still before the court and he has told this publication he would fight the charges.

Mr Jessop at Caloundra polling booths. Picture: Adam Head

The allegedly disturbing allegations were retold in bail objection documents tendered to the Maroochydore Magistrates Court at his first failed bail application.

Police allege Mr Jessop, who was listed as a boat builder in court documents, began stalking his victim on April 16 where he contacted him by calling 37 times and texted him derogatory statements such was wanting to “rip the victim’s balls off”.

Mr Jessop speaking at Caloundra. Picture: Adam Head

Court documents state the 69-year-old allegedly located and attended the victim’s home on June 29, and while he was there turned the power off and smashed a security camera while donning a camouflage hat and face mask. Police allege he was seen by a witness walking back to a white car.

It is further alleged Mr Jessop tried to hide a mobile phone in the victim’s vehicle on July 10, with a fingerprint on the phone allegedly matching the political candidate.

Police allege further Mr Jessop was found trespassing at a Bli Bli address on July 22 with a camouflage hat, face mask and knife. Detectives allege he peered into a home before he fled.

Court documents state Mr Jessop was allegedly followed to his own registered white Hyundai IX35 and was parked in by another witness until police arrived.

Police searched the vehicle and allegedly uncovered camouflaged hats, face coverings, a hammer, samurai sword, compound bow, body armour, a cadaver bag or “body bag”, shovel, axe, rope and duct tape.

A blue crowbar, duct tape and a knife in a sheath were also allegedly found nearby, which matched video footage of Jessop at the Bli Bli home before he allegedly fled.

In the video he allegedly removed his face mask and hat before putting it back on correctly. He then allegedly places duct tape over a CCTV camera.

Mr Jessop said he will fight the charges. Picture: Adam Head

During a search of Mr Jessop’s phone, police allegedly uncovered texts to the victim along with a recorded phone call between the pair on June 16 where the 69-year-old allegedly threatened to “put the victim in a body bag”.

When contacted by this publication, Jessop said he was being “knobbled” and it was “political persecution”.

“I’ve had this on every occasion that I’ve stood since 2009 and something’s cropped up, you know something left field like this,” he said.

Mr Jessop, who said he was a company director and a chief executive, claimed his opposition to a casino on the Sunshine Coast was causing him to be “politically knobbled”.

“This is political knobbling of a most severe kind,” Mr Jessop said.

Mr Jessop said Australia was “not a free country”.

The independent candidate said the rules of the election meant independents had only five days to get their nominations in and two weeks to organise and conduct a campaign.

“You cannot legally do it before then, you can’t do it before you’re nominated,” Mr Jessop said.

Labor advisors had to evacuate Premier Steven Miles from a Caloundra polling booth on Thursday after he was allegedly chased down by Mr Jessop before he fronted media and proclaimed his innocence. He also accused the police of falsifying evidence against him.

Mr Jessop addressing media. Picture: Adam Head

Shortly before this, Mr Miles was asked during a press conference at Nambour Hospital whether he believed it met community expectations to have a candidate in the running facing criminal charges.

“I think the principle of innocence until proven guilty is a pretty fundamental one,” he said.

“But in the case of elections the public has the opportunity to judge and they can make that decision come Saturday.”

A Queensland Electoral Commission spokeswoman said a disqualified person could not nominate as a candidate.

“A disqualified person is someone who is, for example, serving a prison sentence, has been convicted of bribery, treason or certain electoral offences, or is an undischarged bankrupt,” she said.

It is not suggested Mr Jessop is a disqualified person.

“Candidates are urged to read the relevant instructions on the nomination form or seek their own legal advice to ensure their eligibility for nomination,” the ECQ spokeswoman also said.

She said all candidates, including independent candidates, were welcome to begin campaigning at any time, including before the Writ had been issued.

“There is no legal requirement for candidates to wait until they have formally nominated to begin their campaign,” the spokeswoman said.

“The ECQ produces and publishes a range of resources, including handbooks, fact sheets and forms, to assist candidates to understand candidacy requirements and associated obligations when contesting elections.”

She said for the ECQ to accept nominations, all candidates must make relevant declarations including that they were eligible for nomination.

Originally published as Caloundra candidate Mike Jessop to fight stalking, weapons charges after ‘body bag’ arrest