By Cam Lucadou-Wells
AN intervention order application to shield a Casey councillor from a resident’s emails was rejected by Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Cr Sam Aziz had complained to police about emails sent by Casey resident Nigel Bryan last year, claiming that Mr Bryan had threatened the councillor would “get the arrow”.
“I’m 74 years old and I’m not that fit,” Mr Bryan told the News.“I don’t think I’m that much of a threat.
“The phrase ‘get the arrow’ is just an expression which I’ve used many times. It’s a directional arrow but (Cr Aziz) took if as if I’d shoot him.”
Mr Bryan was arrested by police over the matter on 29 November, and subsequently charged with stalking by email.
That charge was dropped by police last week.
On Tuesday, the police’s intervention order application to ban Mr Bryan from emailing Cr Aziz for the next 12 months was unsuccessful.The court heard that Mr Bryan had not breached an interim intervention order ban during the past six months, and was already banned from emailing Casey councillors and staff under the council’s “unreasonable complainants” policy.
Mr Bryan said he was last week banned by the council for a further six months “on the grounds that I wouldn’t commit myself to saying my emails were defamatory and malicious”.
He said his emails questioned council decisions, and included published Herald Sun articles and a reference to Cr Aziz’s address being around the corner from Zagame’s gaming venue.
“It’s all to do with shutting people up from asking questions,” said Mr Bryan, a member of Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association.
After the hearing, Cr Aziz said the police had judged the case was “serious enough” to apply for an intervention order.
“This (order) wasn’t something I initiated,” Cr Aziz said.
“I’m hoping that Mr Bryan will now realise the seriousness of his conduct and cease this behaviour.
“If it doesn’t moderate or cease the behaviour, I’ll be complaining again.”
