1 day ago
4
Prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell has avoided a custodial sentence, despite being found guilty of intimidating a police officer and his partner, and contravening personal safety intervention orders taken out on behalf of the couple last November.
The right-wing extremist was handed 200 hours of community work by the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday, after he was acquitted of two other charges of causing a third person to publish content about the officer and his wife.
Thomas Sewell being arrested outside court on separate matters.Credit: The Age
While magistrate Michelle Hodgson spared Sewell a prison sentence, the National Socialist Network leader was remanded to prison on separate charges relating to an alleged attack on Camp Sovereignty in Kings Domain on August 31.
The 32-year-old was arrested on the steps of the Magistrates’ Court on September 2 and later charged with 21 offences, including violent disorder, affray and assault over the attack, which included several other National Socialist Network members. He was denied bail on September 5, when magistrate Donna Bakos accepted he posed a safety risk if released into the community.
Sewell, who represented himself, told the court that he had not intended to intimidate or threaten the officer and his partner, whose identities were suppressed.
He insisted his comments made on a podcast were legitimate political statements, which were not motivated by malice.
During a closing submission on Thursday, Sewell said he was trying to inform the public about the officer’s conduct during a protest in Docklands on October last year, when the policeman removed face masks from two members of the National Socialist Network.
Sewell also argued that he had not breached the personal safety intervention orders because he avoided naming the police officer and his wife during the podcast to about 500 far-right supporters.
“Part of my defence is that I am being politically persecuted by Victoria Police,” Sewell told the court on Thursday.
He branded police as “professional liars” during the trial.
Loading
But Hodgson rejected most of Sewell’s arguments and found he had deliberately intimidated the police officer and his partner
“There were threats of ‘doxing’, openly contemplating the circulation of this material,” Hodgson said. “There is evidence of personal animosity and insult, calling him a ‘f---ing arsehole’ and including his wife and family that went well beyond political accountability.
“Mr Sewell has sought to weaponise personal information, personal insult and public exposure to instil fear. A use of free speech as intimidation rather than political communication.”
A father of two young daughters, Sewell had asked to be spared a custodial sentence to ease the burden on his family. He said he had been employed as a roofing plumber, but also received an income from the National Socialist Network.
Sewell, who described himself as a “political dissident”, was supported in court by his partner and several members of the National Socialist Network, including Jacob Hersant and Jimeone Roberts.
In November, Hersant became the first Victorian convicted of intentionally performing a Nazi salute in public and chanting “heil Hitler”.
Police arrest a man outside Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.Credit: AAP
After the court broke for lunch, police were seen arresting another man outside the court.
Sewell is due to face the Magistrates’ Court again on December 9 for a committal mention over the Camp Sovereignty attack, and will remain on remand unless he applies for bail again.
With AAP
Most Viewed in National
Loading
