A man has faced court after threatening a man with retribution by an outlaw bikie gang over a dispute on Facebook Marketplace.
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The 61-year-old man from Daylesford in Victoria, who will not be named as he did not get a conviction, appeared at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to charges to using a carriage service to harass and theft.
The court heard the man got into a dispute with a Blackwood man after the sale of a picture frame on the online marketplace.
After the sale, on September 18, 2022, the Daylesford man had dropped off several artworks at the Blackwood man's address and asked if he could sell them for him.
The Blackwood man declined, and a civil dispute began over the possession of the artworks, and money supposedly owed to either party.
Both attempted to invoice each other for money owed.
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On October 17, 2022, the Blackwood man attended the Bacchus Marsh police station in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
The court heard in emails sent between October 17 and 19, the Daylesford man messaged the Blackwood man stating "the Bandidos will be in touch", and "I am not responsible for their actions or inactions".
The 61-year-old also pleaded guilty stealing a lost Samsung Galaxy phone from the service desk of Daylesford Coles, after it was found by staff members.
The man was seen on CCTV taking the phone from the counter and placing it into a backpack before walking away.
He later told police he hadn't realised the phone was stolen, and changed stories about how he came into possession of the phone.
Magistrate Simon Zebrowski said the man's lack of prior convictions acted in his favour, and placed him on a good behaviour bond.
"I accept that you are going through a difficult time, and it affected you emotionally," the magistrate said.
"The fact you have reached this age without ever having to come to the attention of the authorities before... I assess your prospects of rehabilitation as being good."
