Man accused of stalking Daniel Andrews with threatening phone calls
Man accused of stalking Daniel Andrews with threatening phone calls, reportedly threatened to kill us all when police tried to arrest him at his home
A man has been charged with stalking and harassing Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews.
Bradley Carter appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for a bail application after what police said was a “siege” at his home in Frankston North.
Detective Senior Constable Thomas Crocket told the court that he, along with other officers from the Counter Terrorism Command, visited Mr. Carter’s home on May 3.
He said Mr Carter allegedly failed to appear at court on several occasions, prompting a magistrate to issue an arrest warrant.
The court heard Mr Carter was allegedly ‘threatening and abusive’ and barricaded the house.
Senior Constable Crocket said officers forced entry when Mr Carter was reported to be ‘threateningly brandishing a metal lamp base’ before retiring to the kitchen.
He said they next saw him with a camping stove.
“I’m ready to go, I’ll be a martyr and kill us all,” he allegedly said.
Bradley Carter, accused of stalking and harassing Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews, appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court (pictured) on Thursday for a bail application
Senior Constable Crocket said officers retreated and evacuated nearby houses over fears the house might be set on fire.
About an hour later, he said, Mr Carter surrendered peacefully and was charged with offenses including assaulting a police officer, reckless endangerment and threats of injury to resist arrest.
The court heard Mr Carter had been arrested more than a year earlier, on 10 February 2022, after allegedly making threatening phone calls to the Prime Minister.
Senior Constable Crocket said on four occasions that Mr Carter allegedly left voicemails or spoke to staff at Mr Andrews’ office.
“You tell Danny boy my proxies are on their way, it’s up to him whether they wear white or black hats,” one message is said to have read.
“You stole the right from the wrong man, you little morons.”
“They were made aware of the virus three years before the virus.”
Mr Carter reportedly left threatening voicemails or spoke to staff at Mr Andrews’ office (pictured) four times
After being questioned by Mr Carter’s lawyer, Senior Constable Crocket said the Prime Minister’s office passed on all concerns to the Security Investigation Unit.
The unit, he said, is investigating threats against the prime minister and cabinet, as well as national security issues.
He said Mr Carter’s posts were assessed as a ‘risk’, accusing him of stalking the Prime Minister and using a coach service to harass him.
Prosecutors opposed bail, claiming Mr Carter posed a ‘serious’ risk of recidivism, as well as failing to appear in court and endangering the safety of the community.
His lawyer refuted that her client had mental health issues for which he was being treated, saying the police’s handling of Mr Carter was of no help.
“It strikes me that there have been some issues with the way the police have decided to deal with Mr. Carter that have not helped,” she said.
Mr Carter was released on bail by magistrate Pauline Spencer on the condition that he not contact members of the Victorian legislature.
While the allegations were “concerning,” she said it was clear his interactions with police would have been frightening.
He will return to court at a later date.