Palestine activist Austin Mackell is back in Katoomba Court tomorrow fighting over subpoenas to get NSW Police body-cam and notes. He is likely to be tried in the District Court next year.
Mackell was charged February 6 with the criminal offence of “Use Carriage Service to Menace, Harass or Offend” which carries a sentence of up to 5 years prison. His alleged crime was sending 30 emails to his local MP Susan Templeman expressing concern over the genocide in Gaza. They also allege he made more than 190 calls over a period of less than 4 months. Mackell disputes this.
Police have selected 8 of the 30 emails to be included in the charges. Templeman’s office declined to comment on the case earlier this year. Police have signed on external counsel. The costs of the prosecution, should it proceed, may run into the millions – a lot to prosecute somebody for being annoying.
Mackell is self-represented. Such is the price of ‘social cohesion’.
Police social cohesion squad prosecutes man over Gaza emails to his MP
Michael West established Michael West Media in 2016 to focus on journalism of high public interest, particularly the rising power of corporations over democracy. West was formerly a journalist and editor with Fairfax newspapers, a columnist for News Corp and even, once, a stockbroker.