Man who called for Turnbull killing ducks jail by 'slimmest margin'
A Melbourne man who called on his social media followers to assassinate Malcolm Turnbull has been spared jail time by the "slimmest of margins".
Matthew Ainio posted an image of the then-prime minister to Facebook in August 2017 with the caption: "Can someone please assassinate this Turnbull c---. Pretty please."
Nearly a year later, the 43-year-old published another image of Mr Turnbull, writing: "Would someone please shoot the PM or give me a gun and I'll do it. Put the fear back into politicians. Kill your PM/President today."
Prosecutors said Ainio was angry about how Mr Turnbull and the Liberal Party had "stabbed Tony Abbott in the back", referring to the federal leadership challenge of 2015.
The Oakleigh South man, who was charged after a complaint was made to police by a Bendigo councillor, later pleaded guilty to three counts of using a carriage service to cause offence.
In Moorabbin Magistrates Court on Tuesday he was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
"You have escaped a jail term by the slimmest of margins," Magistrate Jade Bott said.
"I regard the matters to be extremely serious."
Ainio was also charged over Facebook comments he made about Victorian councillors, when responding to a video of far-right activist Neil Erikson criticising Bendigo Council.
In his comment on the video, Ainio wrote about a "bloody massacre", "slow deaths including kneecappings", and "popping rounds into the skulls of as many councillors as possible".
City of Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke saw the post and told police she was "horrified". She understood it to be a threat to herself and others, prompting a security review.
"Your expressions of violence ... caused untold harm to your victim," Ms Bott told Ainio in sentencing.
"It has caused her to fear for her safety and the safety of those around her."
The court was told Ainio was surprised and upset when arrested, telling police he often deleted his posts after he looked back at them.
Defence lawyer Emma Turnbull – no relation to the former Liberal leader – said Ainio, who has battled mental health issues and heroin addiction, was remorseful for his actions and committed to getting better.
Ainio himself told the magistrate: "The court will never hear from me again."
Far-right activist Erikson has previously been convicted for staging a mock beheading outside the City of Bendigo offices in 2015 in protest of plans to build a mosque.
AAP