Man in court over alleged threats to kill Anika Wells

Alleged threats to kill Communications Minister Anika Wells have landed a Sydney man in court after he was arrested at his home in Bankstown on Friday.

The allegedly threatening emails that Steven Ly, 31, is accused of sending were reported to police in November.

He has been charged with using a carriage service to threaten to kill and was granted bail by magistrate Vivien Swain when he faced Bankstown Local Court on Friday.

He is due to appear again on December 23.

Ly has been banned from going near or contacting Wells under the conditions of his bail. He is also required to surrender his passport and report to police three times a week.

Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Jeremy Staunton said police could identify people allegedly trying to promote hate and fear even if they tried to stay anonymous online.

“Freedom of speech and political expression are keys to a healthy democracy, however threats towards politicians … are taken extremely seriously,” Staunton said.

Specialist federal police teams were established in September aimed at groups and individuals harming social cohesion, including by targeting parliamentarians.

A spokesman for Wells declined to comment on the case.

The arrest comes as Wells faces sustained scrutiny over expenses billed to taxpayers, which have been defended as being within the rules for parliamentary expenses.

She has referred her use of the entitlements to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for an audit.

The alleged threatening emails were reported to police before the details of Wells’ travel expenses came under scrutiny.

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