NSW woman charged over threatening letters

NSW Police said a 36-year-old woman was charged on Wednesday, August 5, after investigators alleged she sent threatening letters to organisations and individuals across New South Wales. Police said officers from the Security Investigation Unit set up Strike Force Eckon in May 2026 in response to a large volume of letters sent to an exhibition space in Darlinghurst, a place of worship in Lakemba, politicians, individuals, a media outlet and government agencies at local, state and federal level. Detectives arrested the woman at about 6 a.m. at a home in Constitution Hill and took her to Parramatta Police Station, where she was charged with 62 offences. Police said she was refused bail and appeared in Parramatta Local Court the same day. ### How did the investigation begin? In May 2026, NSW Police said the Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command’s Security Investigation Unit established Strike Force Eckon after what police described as a large volume of threatening correspondence was sent to multiple recipients. The police statement said the recipients included an exhibition space in Darlinghurst, a place of worship in Lakemba, politicians, private individuals, a media outlet and government agencies. (police.nsw.gov.au) On June 30, the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police separately appealed for public help over more than 100 letters sent over the past decade to federal and state parliamentarians, religious organisations and community leaders. That appeal said some of the letters, sent between 2015 and 2026, amounted to harassing or threatening behaviour and had been seized for forensic examination. (police.nsw.gov.au) ### What do police say happened before the arrest? On July 16, detectives executed a search warrant at the Constitution Hill home and seized a number of electronic devices, NSW Police said. Police said further inquiries led officers back to the same address on August 5, when the woman was arrested. (police.nsw.gov.au) ABC reported, citing court documents, that police allege the woman sent letters over a five-year period from 2021 to 2026 and told the court they had DNA evidence linking her to the mail. ABC also reported that nearly 60% of the letters police attribute to her were received in 2026. ### What charges was she accused of facing? NSW Police said the 62 counts include 19 charges of sending a document threatening death or grievous bodily harm, 14 charges of stalk or intimidate with intent to cause fear of physical harm in a domestic context, 10 personal stalking or intimidation charges, six charges of using a postal or similar service to menace, harass or offend, and 10 charges of making false accusations intended to subject another person to investigation. (abc.net.au) (police.nsw.gov.au) Police also listed one count each of using a false document to influence the exercise of a public duty, dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, and using a false document to obtain financial advantage. ABC reported that court documents identified 23 alleged victims and included alleged threats to kill directed at senior politicians and other public figures. ABC named NSW Labor minister Jihad Dib, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, independent federal MP Allegra Spender, federal MPs Andrew Charlton and Josh Burns, 2GB presenter Mark Levy and former Australian Jewish Association president David Adler among the alleged recipients. (police.nsw.gov.au) ### What have police said about the letters themselves? NSW Police said they will allege in court that the letters were abusive in nature and purported to be from another person. The earlier June 30 appeal said the correspondence included distinctive printed handwriting, references to the names “Scorpio” or “Bullit,” and newspaper clippings about national affairs and community issues. (abc.net.au) Acting Superintendent John Walke said on June 30 that police were “determined to bring this person to account” because the behaviour was “certainly offensive and at times threatening.” AFP Superintendent Nathan Robertson said at the time that investigators had “very real concerns about the content of these letters.” (police.nsw.gov.au) ### What happened in court? Parramatta Local Court denied the woman bail on Wednesday, ABC reported. ABC said the defence argued she had not acted on the alleged threats and told the court she was the sole carer for her mother and had previously been medicated after a traumatic event in 2018. NSW courts publish daily and searchable court lists online, including Local Court matters, hearing times and locations. (police.nsw.gov.au) The courts website says the online list is updated several times a day and generally lists cases up to two weeks in advance. (courts.nsw.gov.au) (abc.net.au)