<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A man who issued a slur-laden death threat to the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/anthony-albanese" rel="" target="" title="prime minister"><span>prime minister</span></a><span> and his wife during a months-long </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/social-media" rel="" target="" title="social media"><span>social media</span></a><span> tirade has been spared jail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Alexander Phillip David Keating, 37, was today convicted in Sydney's Downing Centre Local </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="" title="Court"><span>Court</span></a><span> of using </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/x" rel="" target="" title="social media platform X"><span>social media platform X</span></a><span> to menace, harass and offend.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He posted 45 menacing messages between February and April last year, many of which called for violence against </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/islam" rel="" target="" title="Muslims"><span>Muslims</span></a><span>, queer people or </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/politics" rel="" target="" title="politicians"><span>politicians</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/isaac-herzog-visit-live-updates-sydney-protests-latest-news-headlines/ac0c2b2f-cd41-4a0a-abdf-ea20837c5cc3" target="_blank"><strong><span>Pro-Palestine protesters vow to continue after ugly clash with police</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was one of the targets of the "abhorrent" threats, magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Keating posted a death threat directed at the prime minister and his wife, which contained a graphic slur, the court was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The magistrate said the social media posts were a "serious affront" to the values of a civilised society.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/reprieve-for-man-after-explicit-death-threat-to-pm/15cf83bb-d125-4f82-92da-b1dd4ab8ad69" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is no place for hatred of this calibre in a country such as ours," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The posts advocated sexual violence, killing and physical annihilation on the basis of race, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/religion" rel="" target="" title="religion"><span>religion</span></a><span> and the colour of their skin."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Keating had stopped taking medication for his </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/mental-health" rel="" target="" title="mental health"><span>mental health</span></a><span> issues in the lead-up to writing the posts, Tsavdaridis noted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was also self-medicating with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/cannabis" rel="" target="" title="cannabis"><span>cannabis</span></a><span> daily at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 37-year-old had become frustrated with government policies and the rise of "wokeness" and "communism" from late 2024, according to the agreed facts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He felt he was unable to have an opinion on political issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kangaroo-attack-man-left-with-horrific-injuries-in-north-east-victoria/f849471b-ea8e-471e-9612-53be0646dffe" target="_blank"><strong><span>Man's horrific injuries after kangaroo's 'gremlin hands' latched onto him</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"One can express political opinions without resorting to calls for murder," Tsavdaridis said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Because Keating only had six followers on X, his lawyer argued there was no evidence anyone had seen the posts to be offended by them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Tsavdaridis said Keating's account was public, so anyone using the site could theoretically have found the posts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The magistrate stressed the need for deterrence of similar racially motivated crimes after the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bondi-beach" rel="" target="" title="Bondi Beach"><span>Bondi Beach</span></a><span> terror attack in December.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any gains we have painstakingly made as a multicultural society over many years can very quickly be cast into oblivion," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The law has always drawn a clear boundary between robust discourse and the incitement of violence."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He ordered Keating to serve a two-year community corrections order and undergo constant mental health treatment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" 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