Man accused of sending death threats to a deputy who was falsely accused of being part of a pedophile ring
- A man is charged for allegedly threatening an Australian MP
- Simon Raymond is accused of sending threats to Anne Webster
- Ms Webster was awarded $875,000 for false claims that she was a pedophile
A man has been accused of threatening to kill an Australian MP over false claims she was part of a pedophile ring, and has also been reported to have sent death threats to several other people.
Simon Raymond, 39, allegedly terrorized Federal Mallee member Anne Webster and her husband Philip via emails in April.
It comes after the couple and their charity were awarded $875,000 in damages in 2020 after conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer wrongly accused them of sexually abusing children.
Raymond stood in front of Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being arrested by the Australian Federal Police at the city’s international airport the day before.
The Victorian man who does not have a fixed address has been taken into custody and could go to jail for a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Federal Mallee member Anne Webster (pictured) allegedly received death threats
Simon Raymond, 39, appeared at Brisbane Magistrates Court after he was arrested by the Australian Federal Police at the city’s international airport the previous day.
Raymond is accused of threatening to kill Ms. Webster and her husband on April 14, court documents disclosed to age saying.
He allegedly sent repeated emails to Ms Webster while also addressing a group of medical professionals in Australia and abroad.
He was charged with seven counts that included using a carriage service to threaten someone with death, AFP said.
The offenses also included five counts of using a transportation service to harass, threaten, or threaten.
It is understood that Raymond allegedly made phone calls to threaten violence and serious harm.
Ms Webster’s office said the MP for Victoria’s Mildura region had received threats but was unable to comment further.
It comes after a woman falsely claimed that Ms Webster (pictured) and her husband were part of a secret child abuse ring in 2020
Karen Brewer in 2020 made seven “embarrassing and inexplicable” Facebook posts and videos about Ms Webster, her husband Philip, and the couple’s Zoe Support charity for disadvantaged mothers.
Federal Court Judge Jacqueline Gleeson said at the time that Brewer had falsely labeled the couple and their charity “participants in a secret criminal network…involved in the sexual abuse of children.”
The judge ordered Brewer to pay the congressman $350,000 in damages, her husband $225,000 and Zoe Support $300,000.
“It should have been obvious to Ms Brewer, at all relevant times and if she were capable of rational consideration on the subject, that her libelous statements were wholly indefensible,” Judge Gleeson said.
“Fortunately for the Websters, their long life of decency and good works, together with the incoherence of much of Mrs. Brewer’s messages, make it reasonably unlikely that any but the most suggestible people would think less of them. as a result of Ms. Brewer’s publications..’
The judge also said that Brewer did not explain his defamatory comments to the court, nor did he retract or apologize for the harm caused.
Meanwhile, Raymond has been taken into custody and will appear in court on Friday.
