Man pleads guilty to threatening Gosford MP online
Christopher Mark Whitty, 43, has pleaded guilty to using Facebook to threaten serious harm against Labor MP Liesl Tesch.
Christopher Mark Whitty pleaded guilty in Gosford Local Court to using Facebook to threaten serious harm against MP Liesl Tesch. Christopher Mark Whitty posted threats of violence and statements showing an intention to find the former Paralympian in public and cause her harm.
Whitty has been on conditional bail since August. Whitty's bail restricts him to staying 100 metres away from Ms Tesch and possessing only one mobile phone.
Sentencing is scheduled for December. Research from Women for Election found that 90 per cent of 110 female politicians surveyed experienced online abuse or intimidation.
Why it mattersThe guilty plea shows courts are taking online threats against elected representatives seriously.
AustraliaHighlights that online harassment of Australian female politicians is a criminal issue, with legal consequences for perpetrators.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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