Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell denied bail over attack at sacred Indigenous site

1 week ago 3

Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell has been refused bail on allegations he ordered his followers to attack people at a sacred Indigenous site, with a magistrate finding there were no bail conditions she could impose to keep Victorians safe.

Magistrate Donna Bakos told Sewell and a courtroom full of his supporters that she considered the case against him strong and his alleged actions “extremely serious conduct”.

Thomas Sewell was arrested outside a Melbourne court on Tuesday.

Sewell was charged over an alleged unprovoked attack on people at Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne’s Kings Domain on Sunday that left one woman needing staples to secure a head laceration and others with minor wounds.

“People have a right to go about their lives without being confronted by hateful speech,” Bakos said.

“The application for bail must be refused.”

As Sewell left the docks, his supporters chanted “go white Australia” and “hail white Australia” to the shock of other onlookers.

On Wednesday, police argued Sewell, 32, was likely to kill or seriously injure someone – or order one of his devoted followers to – unless he remained behind bars.

Sewell is facing 25 new offences over the Camp Sovereignty incident and the separate assault of a man who ran at him while his group marched through Bourke Street Mall about 12.30am on August 9.

Detective Senior Constable Saer Pascoe had told Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that Sewell, who leads the National Socialist Network (NSN), had complete control over a large contingent of members.

The detective said the group may present itself as a self-run political organisation, but its members had a documented history of hate crimes and acting with violence.

Neo-Nazi Jimeone Roberts (left) leaves court with other supporters of Sewell.

He described the NSN as a neo-Nazi political organisation with white supremacist and anti-immigration ideology.

“He is their leader and has complete control. It’s almost certain the applicant will return to committing offences [if bailed]. There is a real and likely risk of serious injury or death,” the officer said on Wednesday.

Police told the court that Sewell’s aggressive shouting at the premier’s press conference earlier this week was an example of his escalating behaviour, which resulted in Premier Jacinta Allan being extracted by her security.

In refusing bail, Bakos said Sewell had a limited but serious criminal history including a previous jail sentence for violent disorder, and a conviction for affray and recklessly causing injury.

Far-right figure Thomas Sewell at the March for Australia rally on Sunday.

At the time of Sewell’s arrest, he was on two counts of bail, she said.

“I have considered whether there are any conditions of bail that might mitigate the risk [of Sewell endangering the safety or welfare of others]. I believe there are not,” Bakos said.

“It’s important to note that the applicant is not charged with offences for holding certain political views. It relates to charges of unlawful and violent conduct.”

Sewell’s defence lawyer, Matthew Hopkins, had argued his client intended to contest all the charges and that Sewell had acted in self-defence during the Bourke Street Mall incident. He said the Camp Sovereignty clash had been provoked by the graffitiing of cars.

Nathan Bull was arrested outside court this week.

Sewell was arrested on the steps of the courthouse on Tuesday after returning from a Queensland family holiday to represent himself in an ongoing case where he is accused of intimidating a police officer and their family and breaching intervention orders put in place to protect them.

During the Camp Sovereignty incident, police allege a group of about 30 National Socialist Network members, led by Sewell, descended on the area after political marches and counterprotests through the city.

Sewell and his co-accused, Yan Zakharin, 20, from Ardeer, Jaeden Johnson, 29, from Rye, and Nathan Bull, 23, from Mooroolbark, were charged with violent disorder, affray, unlawful assault and discharge missile.

Seven people have now been charged over the Camp Sovereignty incident.

Bull, who was also arrested outside court on Tuesday, was also charged with offences including behaving in an offensive manner and taking part in a disturbance after allegedly interrupting an ANZAC Day service at the Shrine of Remembrance. He is due to face court for those matters on November 17.

Sewell is expected to face court again on Monday.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.