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Broome man sent faeces and urine in post addressed to Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto, court told
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/ By Mya Kordic
Posted Wed 16 Aug 2023 at 4:54pmWednesday 16 Aug 2023 at 4:54pm
A Broome man sent 23 parcels contain faeces and urine to Hollywood actors.(ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
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A West Australian man who sent his faeces and urine through Australia Post, addressed to actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto, has been handed a two-year good behaviour bond.
Veronica Grey, 49, appeared in the Broome Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to five charges of using a postal service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The court heard Grey, who identifies as male, sent 23 international postage satchels from post offices in Lesmurdie, Perth, High Wycombe and Kalamunda from February 2 to 8.
All parcels were addressed to various locations across California, in the United States, for the attention of Academy Award winner DiCaprio.
The parcels sent from High Wycombe were addressed to actor Leto.
Commonwealth prosecutor Rhys Mola told the court the satchels each contained a quantity of Grey's frozen faecal matter and urine, which was detailed to its recipients as "valentine confectionary".
The court heard when Grey sent the parcels he knowingly ticked the box on the satchels that stated the items did not contain any prohibited items.
Mr Mola said the offences carried a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or $16,500 in fines, or both.
The court heard the satchels' contents were discovered when one of the items ruptured and leaked onto an Australia Post worker.
Veronica Grey appeared in the Broome Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.(ABC Kimberley: Tom Forrest)
He now resides in Australia on a temporary bridging visa as a humanitarian.
Ms Gooding described Grey as "passionate about saving the environment", and his intention was never to harass the actors.
"His motivation was to magnetise them to Australia … they share the same passion for the environment," she said.
A psychiatric report presented to the court revealed Grey had acted on an idea without considering the consequence due to a mental impairment.
Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jordan Belfort in the 2013 film Wolf of Wall Street.(IMDb)
Ms Gooding asked the charges to be dismissed and said Grey had expressed "remorse and insight" of his actions and had engaged with local support services in Broome.
"The risk of re-offending is non-existent," she said.
Ms Gooding concluded that the nature of the matter's "bizarre circumstances" resulted from Grey's adjustment disorder.
"It's certainly something I haven't seen before," she said.
"You thought they would be subversive to your movement," he said.
"Based on your world views being outside of the accepted norms … you weren't motivated by malice."
While Magistrate Potter acknowledged the offending was "rare" and the personal circumstances were "unique", he expressed the need for general deterrence of the offences.
"In a world of increasingly political polarisation … the court must discourage other individuals from sending material through the post," he said.
Magistrate Potter granted Grey a global penalty of a two-year recognisance bond of $3,000.
Grey replied, "bless you" to Magistrate Potter as he handed down his ruling
He expressed gratitude to "everyone who was empathetic to what I accept was poor judgement".
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Posted 16 Aug 2023
Broome man sent faeces and urine in post addressed to Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto, court told
SHARE
Broome man sent faeces and urine in post addressed to Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto, court told
ABC Kimberley/ By Mya Kordic
Posted Wed 16 Aug 2023 at 4:54pmWednesday 16 Aug 2023 at 4:54pm
A Broome man sent 23 parcels contain faeces and urine to Hollywood actors.(ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
Share this article
abc.net.au/news/broome-man-faeces-urine-parcels-posted-dicaprio-leto/102737516
Link copied
COPY LINKSHARE
A West Australian man who sent his faeces and urine through Australia Post, addressed to actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto, has been handed a two-year good behaviour bond.
Key points:
- A Broome man has been given a $3,000 good behaviour bond after mailing 23 satchels containing his faeces and urine through Australia Post
- The parcels, sent in February, were addressed to actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto
- Broome Magistrate Deen Potter said the man's actions were "not motivated by malice" and the offending was "rare"
Veronica Grey, 49, appeared in the Broome Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to five charges of using a postal service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The court heard Grey, who identifies as male, sent 23 international postage satchels from post offices in Lesmurdie, Perth, High Wycombe and Kalamunda from February 2 to 8.
All parcels were addressed to various locations across California, in the United States, for the attention of Academy Award winner DiCaprio.
The parcels sent from High Wycombe were addressed to actor Leto.
Commonwealth prosecutor Rhys Mola told the court the satchels each contained a quantity of Grey's frozen faecal matter and urine, which was detailed to its recipients as "valentine confectionary".
The court heard when Grey sent the parcels he knowingly ticked the box on the satchels that stated the items did not contain any prohibited items.
Mr Mola said the offences carried a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or $16,500 in fines, or both.
The court heard the satchels' contents were discovered when one of the items ruptured and leaked onto an Australia Post worker.
Veronica Grey appeared in the Broome Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.(ABC Kimberley: Tom Forrest)
Intention wasn't to harass: defence
Defence lawyer Kaia Gooding said Grey was born in the Philippines before moving to the US.He now resides in Australia on a temporary bridging visa as a humanitarian.
Ms Gooding described Grey as "passionate about saving the environment", and his intention was never to harass the actors.
"His motivation was to magnetise them to Australia … they share the same passion for the environment," she said.
A psychiatric report presented to the court revealed Grey had acted on an idea without considering the consequence due to a mental impairment.
Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jordan Belfort in the 2013 film Wolf of Wall Street.(IMDb)
Ms Gooding asked the charges to be dismissed and said Grey had expressed "remorse and insight" of his actions and had engaged with local support services in Broome.
"The risk of re-offending is non-existent," she said.
Ms Gooding concluded that the nature of the matter's "bizarre circumstances" resulted from Grey's adjustment disorder.
"It's certainly something I haven't seen before," she said.
No jail time
Magistrate Deen Potter said Grey's actions had a "significant impact" on postal operations with personal protective equipment involved."You thought they would be subversive to your movement," he said.
"Based on your world views being outside of the accepted norms … you weren't motivated by malice."
While Magistrate Potter acknowledged the offending was "rare" and the personal circumstances were "unique", he expressed the need for general deterrence of the offences.
"In a world of increasingly political polarisation … the court must discourage other individuals from sending material through the post," he said.
Magistrate Potter granted Grey a global penalty of a two-year recognisance bond of $3,000.
Grey replied, "bless you" to Magistrate Potter as he handed down his ruling
He expressed gratitude to "everyone who was empathetic to what I accept was poor judgement".
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Posted 16 Aug 2023
