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Charges dropped against man who admitted to harassing Stan Grant

Mr Davis was issued a two-year apprehended violence order that requires him to not contact or confront Grant or his partner.

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The ruling was announced on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts/AAP Image

Charges against the man who admitted to harassing Wiradjuri journalist Stan Grant have been dropped on the basis on mental health.

Michael Steven Davis was arrested in May at an address in Fairfield Heights in Sydney's west in May.

The 41-year-old faced one charge of using a carriage service to threaten serious harm.
The charge was dismissed by Deputy Chief Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. Mr Davis was in attendance.

The charge was dismissed on the grounds of mental illness with Mr Davis being placed under the care of a clinical psychologist for the next two years.

He was issued a two-year apprehended violence order which restrains Mr Davis from contacting both Grant or his partner, ABC journalist Tracey Holmes.
An additional special order was also enforced to stop Mr Davis from contacting the pair on social media.

In early October, Mr Davis' lawyer, Peter Mitchell, told the court his client intended to meet with Grant for the purpose of apologising for the alleged abuse and harassment.

Pushed to quit a four-decade career

Grant stepped away from the ABC in May, citing racial abuse and the "institutional failure" of the broadcaster to support him. In August, he formally resigned from the ABC.

In his last moments as host of the broadcaster's Q+A program, he delivered a powerful message to those who targeted him and his loved ones.
"To those who have abused me and my family, I would just say — if your aim was to hurt me, well, you've succeeded," he said at the time.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I must have given you so much cause to hate me."

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2 min read
Published 24 November 2023 1:35pm
By Rachael Knowles
Source: NITV


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