Tamworth man accused of threats to MPs told to stay off Facebook

Robert John McDonald appeared in Tamworth Local Court for the first time on Monday morning, less than a month after he was arrested at a Tamworth home by the force's Fixated Persons Investigation Unit.

The specialist unit alleges the 58-year-old used Facebook to post online threats to members of parliament, including the Prime Minister, late last year.

In court, McDonald did not enter a plea to the charge of using a carriage service - namely the internet - to menace, harass or offend between 6.30am and 7am on December 11, last year, in South Tamworth.

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He's also accused of cultivating three cannabis plants, when police raided the home between 7.30am and 9.45am on January 12.

McDonald was unrepresented in court, and sat at the bar table, as he asked magistrate Julie Soars for the search warrant used to raid his home last month.

"I just want it behind me," McDonald told the court.

He said that he didn't have a copy of the raid warrant, which Ms Soars has ordered police to serve within two weeks.

McDonald - who is banned from Facebook and social media - also asked to be able to access Facebook to shut it down.

"The longer it's over my head ... I want to put it behind me," he told the court.

Ms Soars said the social media ban bail condition "was granted by police, not me", examining the court papers.

"If you want to get someone to close it down for you that's probably the best thing," she told McDonald.

As part of his bail, McDonald must stay out of trouble and be of good behaviour; live at a nominated address; and not use Facebook or any form of social media.

Ms Soars also amended the charge papers, after McDonald said they listed the wrong address where he was living.

The case will return to court in March where McDonald has been ordered to enter pleas to the charges.

"That completes your matter, you're free to go," Ms Soars said, marking his bail to continue.

McDonald was charged after a month-long investigation into comments on social media, namely Facebook, came under notice by police in December.

The Fixated Persons Investigation Unit then took over the police probe.

The unit zeroed in on the comments which police claim threatened Australian parliamentary officials, or members of parliament.

Officers then used a search warrant to raid a home on the morning of January 12 in South Tamworth, where they seized what they claimed was three cannabis plants, as well as a number of electronic devices.

Police said the electronic goods would be forensically examined as part of the investigation.

McDonald was taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was questioned by investigators, and later charged with the two offences and granted bail.

The Fixated Persons Investigation Unit was setup in 2017.

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