Neo-Nazi member refused bail after allegedly sending ‘menacing message’ about federal MP Allegra Spender | Far right

A member of an active neo-Nazi group who allegedly harassed a politician who condemned a recent neo-Nazi protest has been refused bail and will remain in custody due to the risk of committing a “dangerous” crime.

Joel Davis, 30, a National Socialist Network member from the Sydney suburb of Bondi, was arrested by Australian federal police on Thursday after being accused of sending a “threatening message”.

The messages allegedly encouraged abusive and hateful messages directed at Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, who condemned a neo-Nazi rally outside the New South Wales parliament earlier this month.

Australian federal police made two more arrests as part of the same police operation on Friday, after a man allegedly harassed a different federal MP and another man allegedly harassed “Australia’s dignitary”. Guardian Australia is aware of only one of these men having neo-Nazi connections.

Davis appeared in custody before the NSW bail department on Friday and was represented by Legal Aid lawyer Liam McKibbin.

Judge Daniel Covington said he would deny Davis’ bail application and keep him in custody due to the risk of committing a “dangerous” crime while out on bail.

He said that because of the suggestions of the “ideology” Davis followed, “it would be difficult for me to imagine that he would not go on to commit a serious crime if he were released on bail today.”

He noted Davis had no violent history and had only committed an unrelated offense in NSW in 2014.

McKibbin argued Davis should be released on bail because her partner is nine months pregnant with their son and is due to give birth on Thursday.

He also argued that Davis was unlikely to face the maximum sentence for the single charge he faces of using a transportation service to threaten, harass or cause a crime., and this carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

“[The] Despite the disturbing behavior, the allegation did not involve a threat of physical violence, McKibbin told the court.

Covington later stated that the message contained threats of sexual violence against Spender.

Spending was condemned by a police-sanctioned neo-Nazi protest outside the NSW parliament earlier this month, which was attended by about 60 black-clad men carrying a banner reading “Destroy the Jewish lobby” and chanting Hitler Youth slogans.

Prosecutor Kristen Wakefield said Davis should not be released on bail. He told the court Davis was already on bail for an alleged crime committed in South Australia and risked failing to appear at future court dates if he was granted bail again.

He said the “victim expressed concern for the safety of himself and his family.”

Wakefield said: “There was a comment directed at a wider audience that increased the seriousness of this offense” and claimed it “encouraged a wider audience to use violence against the victim”.

Wakefield later said: “Telegram itself has an extremely large audience… It would be very difficult to ensure that further crimes do not occur via Telegram or another similar social media platform.”

McKibbin had offered bail conditions that included Davis not going within 100 yards of the Wentworth voter’s office and carrying only a cell phone that he would allow to be checked.

The court heard Davis was working in retail in Sydney until last week. He moved to Sydney three months ago to be with his pregnant partner.

On Friday, Australian federal police confirmed two more arrests had been made by a national security investigation team set up to “target groups and individuals who cause high levels of harm to the social cohesion of Australia, including the targeting of federal parliamentarians”.

They included a 32-year-old Melbourne man who allegedly threatened another federal MP and a third Tamworth man, 29, who allegedly sent online threats to an “Australian dignitary”.

AFP did not identify the two men arrested on Friday.

The Melbourne man was also accused of harassing a federal parliamentarian using a transport service after seizing his electronic devices. He will appear in court next Thursday.

The parliamentarian’s election office reported to AFP after the man allegedly sent several harassing emails before escalating into an abusive phone call containing hateful and threatening language.

The Tamworth man will face a raft of charges when he appears in court in January; These include four counts of using a carriage service for harassment purposes, one count of possessing a prohibited firearm without a permit, one count of failing to store a firearm safely and one count of possessing ammunition without a license or permit.

On Saturday, AFP searched a house in Tamworth where they seized a rifle and ammunition.

Davis is expected to appear in court again in December.