Brittany Higgins was ‘fearful’ after online death threat, court hears

Former political staffer Brittany Higgins and her husband were “fearful for their safety” after a man threatened to kill them and their dog in an online tirade.

Former political staffer Brittany Higgins and her husband became “fearful for their safety” after a man threatened to kill them and their dog in an online tirade, a court has been told.

David William Wonnocott wore a blue Hawaiian shirt and black pants as he faced Lismore District Court on Monday after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to threaten to kill and using a carriage service to menace or harass.

The 49-year-old targeted Ms Higgins and NSW politician Alex Greenwich in vicious online attacks which were deemed to pose a serious threat to their safety.

He was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Squad on April 19 last year after police discovered 49 threatening and offensive messages sent from linked accounts.

David William Wonnocott threatened to kill former political staffer Brittany Higgins, her husband David Sharaz, and their dog. Picture: NewsWire / Scott Powick

Police discovered Wonnocott had used one of the social media accounts to send messages to Ms Higgins’ now-husband David Sharaz in which he threatened to kill the couple and their beloved cavoodle.

The court was told Wonnocott was eager “to express to Ms Higgins that he didn’t believe her” claims she had been sexually assaulted inside Parliament House in 2019.

The couple “became fearful for their safety” after the messages, the court was told.

Mr Sharaz wrote a statement about the impact of the terrifying threats, but Wonnocott’s lawyer Susan Klass objected to his description of the impact on Ms Higgins.

Judge John Pickering questioned why the description wouldn’t be relevant in light of the agreed facts, which outlined “effectively an attack on (Mr Sharaz) and his now wife”.

The Crown prosecutor agreed and argued Mr Sharaz should be allowed to give evidence about the consequences of the death threat for himself and Ms Higgins.

Wonnocott threatened to kill David Sharaz and Brittany Higgins and their cavoodle Kingston.

The Banora Point resident also admitted he had sent menacing messages to openly gay Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in a separate incident.

Judge Pickering noted Wonnocott had a “seemingly highly entrenched view of disapproving of the lesbian (and) homosexual community”.

Wonnocott was due to be sentenced on Monday, but Ms Klass asked the court for an adjournment to allow her to obtain a psychiatric report.

She said a psychologist report identified “a connection to an underlying personality disorder and depression”, but the psychologist was not permitted to make a diagnosis.

However, Judge Pickering noted the psychologist had concluded Wonnocott “doesn’t seem” to meet the criteria for any diagnosis.

He also queried the relevance of the offender’s mental health to the online threats.

Wonnocott’s lawyer told the court he had mental health issues. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

He sent nasty messages to Mr Sharaz and Ms Higgins. Picture: Instagram

“It’s difficult to see what depression (has) to do with the death threats to Mr Sharaz or his desire to express to Ms Higgins that he didn’t believe her,” the judge said.

“I have some concerns about where we’re going with this.”

However, Judge Pickering determined it was “in the best interest of justice” to allow Wonnocott “to put the best evidence before the court”.

He adjourned the matter until November.

Ms Higgins has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse since she publicly alleged she had been raped by a colleague in Parliament House in 2019.

Her fellow political staffer Bruce Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault in 2021 but the trial was later abandoned due to juror misconduct.

The Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue a retrial out of concern for Ms Higgins’ mental health.

Mr Lehrmann was recently ordered to pay millions after he brought a failed defamation lawsuit against Network 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.

Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz married in May. Picture: Instagram

The couple were wed in Queensland. Picture: Instagram

He claimed he had been defamed by an interview between Ms Wilkinson and Ms Higgins on Network 10’s The Project in 2021.

In April, Justice Lee determined Mr Lehrmann had, on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, raped Ms Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.

Six weeks later, Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz were married at The Valley Estate in Currumbin on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

After years of intense media scrutiny, the couple have moved to France with their cavoodle Kingston in search of a fresh start.

On Sunday night, the couple took to social media to reveal they are expecting their first child together.

Wonnocott is prohibited from contacting either Ms Higgins or Mr Sharaz as a condition of his bail.

Originally published as Brittany Higgins was ‘fearful’ after online death threat, court hears