Sydney man and woman charged over online threats

Two people have been charged over online threats to an Australian Senator following an AFP investigation.

A 29-year-old man from Harrington Park in Sydney’s west and a 41-year-old woman from Maitland have been served court attendance notices following threats made against an Australian Senator via a social media messaging service.

The man and woman are expected to face Sydney Central Local Court on 13 April 2022.

It will be alleged in court that the man and woman were responsible for sending three separate threatening messages on 21 and 22 November 2021 which threatened or advocated violent acts.

AFP investigators executed search warrants at their respective homes today (15 March 2022) and seized a mobile phone for further examination from the man’s Harrington Park residence.

The man has been charged with threatening to cause harm to a Commonwealth public official, contrary to section 147.2(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is seven years’ imprisonment.

The woman has been charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, contrary to section 474.17(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is five years’ imprisonment.

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