A shocking twist has emerged in the case of the man who abused former Australian of the Year Grace Tame as a child and was later accused of harassing her on social media.
Nicolaas Ockert Bester, 72, who pleaded not guilty in March 2023 to three counts of using a transport service to threaten, harass or cause offence, appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday and was expected to face a two-day hearing.
The Mercury The court reportedly heard that Bester was deemed unfit to stand trial after being diagnosed with vascular dementia.
Bester’s attorney, Todd Kovacic, said the defense and prosecution legal teams had acknowledged his client’s status.
Mr Kovacic said that in order to determine the next steps in the case, both sides requested a two-week adjournment.
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions had requested more information about Bester’s medical condition.
Bester will reappear on August 28 for a new appearance in his case, but will not face a contested hearing.
Magistrate Andrew McKee continued Bester’s bail.
On Monday, the Hobart Magistrates Court heard that Nicolaas Ockert Bester, 72 (pictured), was deemed unfit to stand trial after being diagnosed with vascular dementia.
Bester is alleged to have made public posts on Twitter now known as X relating to and directed at Tame, 29 (pictured) in April, July and August 2022.
Monday’s court hearing was the first time Bester’s condition was revealed.
The court had previously heard concerns about a “medical episode”.
Bester is alleged to have made public posts on Twitter now known as X relating to and directed at Tame, 29, in April, July and August 2022.
Bester’s account, @nicobester3, was suspended after Tame reported the allegations in 2022.
Bester’s case has been repeatedly delayed by at least six adjournments to obtain medical reports, with suggestions he may be planning to change his plea.
Bester, a former teacher at St Michael’s Collegiate School, an Anglican girls’ school in Hobart, was charged by police in October 2022 for alleged online harassment.
Nicolaas Bester was a teacher at St Michael’s Collegiate School, an Anglican girls’ school in Hobart, when he abused Grace Tame.
He was convicted and sentenced in 2011 to two years and 10 months in jail for abusing Ms Tame when she was a student at his school.
In 2016, Bester returned to prison after producing child exploitation material, boasting on Facebook that his abuse of Tame was “unbelievable”.
Ms Tame was not present in court on Monday, but has been present on other occasions.
Ms Tame was the 2021 Australian of the Year and has championed survivors of abuse through the ‘Let Her Speak’ campaign.
She was instrumental in changing Tasmania’s laws for survivors of child sexual abuse.