Cop accused of threatening SA Senator “appalled”
A distinguished police officer accused of making threats to federal Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young’s office is “appalled” and “contrite without relief”, a court has been told.
Sean Daniel Murphy, a 57-year-old senior constable, was charged in October with using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend after calling the South Australian senator’s office on July 3.
“He is appalled by his conduct. He immediately admitted what he had done,” barrister John Davidson told the Downing Centre Local Court today.
Davidson said his client had been treated in hospital for post-traumatic stress disorder in recent months.
Murphy was decorated for bravery on one occasion in which he very nearly lost his life, the barrister said.
“After almost 30 years of service on street and in troubled areas … he’s seen more blood and mayhem than perhaps anyone else can imagine,” he said.
Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said the difficulty was the alleged offending had been “quite distressing” to the victims.
“There is no issue with that,” Davidson said.
“He is no threat, he will never be a threat.”
Atkinson agreed to grant Murphy bail on condition he not contact the Greens senator’s office or any witnesses and that he reside either at a Wollongong address or hospital.
– AAP
