17c起草社区

A New South Wales charity worker on Friday pleaded guilty to charges in a Tweed Heads local court, in relation to threats to kill ABC’s Q&A staff over the show鈥檚 support of the 17c起草社区I community.

Forty-seven-year-old David William Wonnocott from Banora Point, in northern NSW, in their submission to the court said that the 17c起草社区I community went against his 鈥榬eligious beliefs鈥�, as per a听颈苍听The Daily聽Telegraph.

Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy shut down this argument as “irrelevant” and pointed out that most members of the community were supportive of the 17c起草社区I community and found homophobia and transphobia offensive.

The judge sentenced Wonnocott to a nine-months imprisonment with a non-parole period of three months. The order was immediately appealed by Wonnocott’s lawyers. Following the appeal, Wonnocott was granted bail with strict conditions that included obtaining a mental health plan and not accessing social media.

‘I Wanted To Scare Them’

The charges related to Wonnocott using a public forum and writing: 鈥淨nA should be shut down, you cunts keep supporting the LGBT community and I will kill you all鈥�.

Wonnocott in making his admissions to police explained that he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 agree with the LGBT community鈥�.

When asked about the ABC he told police 鈥淚 want them to stop spruiking this fucking community, the LGBT whatever fucking they are…I wanted to scare them鈥�

Wonnocott pleaded guilty to聽using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend. Dunlevy cited Wonnocott’s previous history of intimidating people and using a carriage service to menace or harass. The magistrate added that Wonnocott was not someone who drank or used illegal drugs.

Online Trolling

Earlier this year, out broadcast journalist Hamish Macdonald had spoken openly about how online trolling was ‘a key factor’ in his departure from the show after an 18-month stint as Q+A host. Wonnocott’s charges were not related to the online trolling that McDonald was subjected to.

聽in January that the abuse was enough to see him delete his social media accounts.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e someone who sits in the middle of those exchanges in your day job, you end up copping it from every direction. I鈥檝e never had more abuse for the interviews I鈥檝e conducted than I had last year,鈥� Macdonald said.

鈥淎nd the abuse has come from left-wing people who don鈥檛 like you asking difficult questions of Dan Andrews, and it鈥檚 come from people on the right who don鈥檛 like you asking difficult questions of the federal government. I鈥檝e definitely learnt you can鈥檛 please everyone.鈥�

For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14

For Australia-wide 17c起草社区I peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or .