By Mitchell Clarke
A Dandenong man who allegedly threatened, offended and harassed an officer from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) could face nine years imprisonment if convicted.
The 31-year-old appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday 8 January, following search warrants in Dandenong and Woodend.
Officers were able to seize a number of electronic devices including several computer hard drives, USBs, mobile phones, laptops, a video camera, SD cards and a small quantity of cannabis during the warrants on Tuesday 7 January.
In court, the man was charged with six counts of using a carriage service to “menace, harass or cause offence”, three counts of using a carriage service to “make a threat to cause serious harm” and one count of “threatening to cause harm to a public official, namely a public law enforcement officer”.
The AFP will allege the man made multiple “threatening, offensive and harassing” phone calls to the AFP and in some instances, allegedly impersonated a Commonwealth Prosecutor.
It’s also believed the man targeted an individual officer and uploaded threatening material regarding the member online.
Detective Superintendent Jayne Crossling said no one should be harassed or threatened in the line of duty.
“We have a zero tolerance for those who would seek to menace our members and these charges are a reflection of this,” Det Supt Crossling said.
“The safety and ability of our members to perform their vital work is of the utmost importance to the AFP.”
If convicted, the man faces a maximum sentence of nine years imprisonment.
