A man who made targeted social media threats to a NSW Police officer has been convicted of stalking and intimidation.
Joel Glen Whaley, 32, pleaded guilty to seven offences, including posting threats relating to a senior constable he named on Facebook in August 2025.
Several other charges were dropped when he appeared in Muswellbrook Local Court today.
They included two counts of using a carriage service to threaten to kill.Â
Whaley was today sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order and fined $1,450 for offences dating to 2021.
‘Extremist’ ideology
The court heard that Whaley made threatening Facebook posts about Senior Constable Jason Bear, who was then working in Merriwa, where Whaley lived.
Defence solicitor Joshua Whale told the court the posts were the result of him “falling victim” to an “explosion” of extremist views and misinformation online.
He said his client was “indoctrinated” into the sovereign citizen movement.
Mr Whale said this was exacerbated by “huge drug use” which allowed him to fall into “conspiracy theories”.
“[My client] was consuming marijuana frequently … [and] going through separation from his partner,” he said.
Mr Whale said the posts were “incredibly unsavoury” and that his client “takes ownership for how that would have made someone feel [unsafe]”.
The red ensign has become a symbol of the sovereign citizen movement. (ABC Far North: Brendan Mounter)
‘Keyboard warrior’
Magistrate Kevin Hockey said he understood how people got “wrapped up in some of the publicity … that is being emanated particularly on social media in relation to the sovereign citizen movement”.
He said the matter had caused him a great deal of concern.
“Police officers have been killed … in Queensland and Victoria by people who do have extreme views,” Magistrate Hockey said.
Dezi Freeman allegedly shot dead two police officers at Porepunkah in Victoria on August 26.
The 56-year-old Freeman, whose whereabouts remain a mystery, has been linked to the sovereign citizen movement.
Mr Whale said his client did not understand the seriousness of the posts in the moment, and that he was a “complete keyboard warrior”.
Whaley’s 12-month community corrections order includes a condition not to consume drugs and alcohol.