‘Diplomat Dan’ accuses Launceston magistrate of assault, torture during hearing

An incarcerated man – who insists on being called ‘Diplomat Dan’ – made an outlandish claim that a Launceston magistrate orchestrated an assault on him. What the court heard >>

Daniel Gandini, who refers to himself as Diplomat Dan or simply Dan, appeared at the Launceston Magistrate Court in remand custody for the hearing.

An incarcerated man – who insists on being called ‘Diplomat Dan’ – accused a magistrate of ordering a “violent attack”, “sexually assaulting and torturing him” and other outlandish claims during a hearing in Launceston on Tuesday.

Daniel Victor Gandini, 44, pleaded not guilty to five counts of breaching an interim family violence order and six counts of breaching bail.

Gandini, who refers to himself as Diplomat Dan or simply Dan, appeared at the Launceston Magistrate Court in remand custody for the hearing.

“Dan, thank you, your honour. Anything else is incorrect or fraudulent,” Gandini said.

Before the first witness was called, Gandini alleged a conflict of interest with Magistrate Simon Brown.

“I just want to inform you I was violently attacked yesterday, I was deprived of my liberties, and sexually assaulted on your orders,” he said.

Mr Brown denied the allegations of serious criminal misconduct.

“I’ll take that as an application made by Dan that I should recuse myself from dealing with his matter today, and I reject that,” Mr Brown said.

“The allegations are without any factual basis at all and objectively scandalous.

“No reasonably informed bystander would believe that I could not bring an impartial mind to the matter that has come before me.”

Launceston Magistrates Court. Picture: Katie Hall

As the hearing continued, the court heard that Gandini had called his ex-wife on five separate occasions between August and September 2023, despite having an interim family violence order prohibiting him from contacting her.

Gandini put earplugs in when his ex-wife gave evidence via video call.

Solicitor Kelly Martin, who previously represented Gandini’s ex-wife, said she received an email from Gandini on August 11, 2023, where he stated that he intended to call his ex-wife by phone the following day.

Telstra security analyst Jason Betts confirmed that the number was registered to Daniel Victor Gandini and said that call records indicated that he used it to ring his ex-wife.

Gandini denied that the number was his as he didn’t identify as Daniel Victor Gandini.

“I’ve never had that phone number,” Gandini said.

“This is fraud. The number was not registered as Diplomat Dan, but MR Daniel Victor Gandini, and that’s not my name. I wouldn’t have registered it under that name.”

The hearing will continue before Mr Brown on August 16 at 11.30am.