Sydney Man Spares Jail for ‘Abhorrent’ Online Rants

A Sydney man has narrowly avoided jail time after his prolific and deeply offensive social media activity was described by a magistrate as a “serious affront to the values of a civilised society.” Alexander Phillip David Keating, 37, pleaded guilty to using a telecommunications service to offend across 45 posts made on X, formerly known as Twitter, between February and April of last year.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis did not mince words when describing the nature of Keating’s online behaviour. He characterised the posts as “frenetic” and deliberately calculated to dehumanise entire groups of people and incite violence against them. “Any gains we have painstakingly made as a multicultural society over many years are quickly eroded and cast into oblivion,” the magistrate stated during sentencing, highlighting the corrosive impact of such rhetoric.

A Grave Abuse of Social Media

The magistrate underscored that a significant portion of the posts were rooted in prejudice based on race and religion, with a particular focus on targeting the Muslim community. He described these publications as “corrosive,” explaining that they stripped individuals of their dignity and actively inflamed existing prejudices. “The conduct for which the defendant stands charged represents a grave abuse of social media communications platforms and is a serious affront to the values of a civilised society,” he declared.

Despite the severity of the offending, Keating was spared a custodial sentence. Instead, he was handed a two-year community correction order. This order comes with stringent conditions, including mandatory engagement in mental health treatment as directed by professionals, reflecting a recognition of underlying issues contributing to his behaviour.

The magistrate acknowledged that Keating’s conduct was “abhorrent.” However, he also noted that the defendant had taken responsibility for his actions, expressed genuine remorse, and had been “propelled” towards seeking necessary treatment.

Keating’s online activities came to light in May of last year when authorities executed a search warrant at his residence and conducted a forensic examination of his phone. During an interview, he admitted to using an X account to disseminate numerous posts.

Prime Minister Among Those Targeted

The agreed facts presented to the court revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the political figures targeted by Keating’s offensive statements. Keating’s legal representative, Tom Seeney, had earlier attempted to have the charge diverted under Commonwealth legislation designed to assist defendants with mental health or cognitive impairments.

Mr. Seeney informed the Downing Centre Local Court that Keating’s X account had a modest following of only six individuals, and that the posts were amplified by an automatic traffic tool. Commonwealth prosecutor Brian Massone acknowledged that Keating’s diagnosed mental health conditions presented a “complex mental health picture,” satisfying one aspect of the relevant diversionary legislation.

However, Mr. Massone opposed the application, arguing that the public interest strongly favoured dealing with the case through the standard legal process. Deputy Chief Magistrate Tsavdaridis ultimately declined the diversion application after carefully considering several factors. These included the inherent nature and seriousness of the offending behaviour and the suitability of alternative sentencing options. He concluded that a diversionary route would likely be “an exercise in futility,” as it would prevent the court from revisiting the sentence if Keating failed to comply with any imposed orders.

Calls for Extreme Violence

The deputy chief magistrate revealed that Keating’s posts contained explicit calls for extreme violence, including rape and torture, against minority groups and political figures. These graphic details, which the ABC has chosen not to republish, were presented to illustrate the “objectively serious” nature of his conduct.

The court heard that in the period leading up to his offending, Keating was self-medicating with cannabis, spending up to $200 per week on the substance. “What seems to be a common thread throughout the various reports are difficulties with self-regulation and impulsivity,” the deputy chief magistrate observed.

During sentencing submissions, Mr. Massone detailed how Keating’s posts incited graphic physical assault. He also noted that Keating attributed his actions to a range of factors, including what he perceived as the “political environment” and a perceived “deterioration of Australian society.” The Crown ultimately conceded that a non-custodial sentence would be an appropriate outcome.

It was also revealed that Keating had previously faced a charge of threatening to harm a Commonwealth official, which was subsequently dropped. This history, coupled with the gravity of his recent online behaviour, paints a concerning picture of an individual whose actions have caused significant distress and posed a threat to public discourse and safety.