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Police have won their bid to keep a man behind bars over fears he could commit Victoria’s next atrocity.
Stephen Macras, 33, was denied bail on Thursday with magistrate Belinda Wallington unconvinced his alleged threats – including to “kill everyone” and commit a “Bourke Street-style” mass killing – were empty.
“Macras continues to pose an unacceptable risk of reoffending and endangering the safety of the community, particularly the police,” she told Melbourne Magistrates Court.
He is charged with making a false bomb threat, stalking a police officer and harassing him via email, as well as assaulting two other officers and using a sword in April.
Ms Wallington said Macras lived a “fairly isolated existence” until an alleged police pursuit in September 2017.
During the incident, Macras allegedly drove erratically and attempted to ram a police vehicle.
Two months later, he began sending emails to a police officer, saying they should shoot themselves and expressing his wish to commit a “Bourke Street-style” incident.
“I just finished setting up all the bits I needed to do in the CBD, nice bit of explosives in all the good spots,” Macras allegedly wrote in one email.
“Violent extremism? You ain’t seen nothing yet,” another read.
The threatening emails, totalling more than 400 pages, allegedly continued until April this year, and included comments such as “you pigs should put your guns against your head and pull the trigger”.
On April 15, police arrived to search the home Macras shared with his parents in the beachside suburb of Mordialloc, when he allegedly emerged brandishing a sword. He was arrested and his electronic devices seized.
During a medical assessment, staff indicated their concern Macras was at risk of causing serious harm to the public after he allegedly said: “If I kill everyone, I don’t see how that’s a bad thing.”
He also claimed he could get Bourke Street killer James Gargasoulas off his charges, that Martin Bryant did a “big community service” gunning down victims at Port Arthur and hoped other infamous killers would be released from jail.
Speaking against the bail application, Detective Senior Constable Damian Murphy said he had “grave concerns for the community if he receives bail. I’m genuinely worried he will commit Victoria’s next atrocity”.
Ms Wallington said Macras, who is believed to have autism and mental health problems, was a “low risk” of setting off a bomb, but noted he had used his car “as a weapon” in 2017.
“He is not a person that has made empty threats under distress,” she said.
Macras’s lawyer said his client had undergone a change of attitude while on remand and was willing to engage in mental health treatment.
His mother earlier told the court she believed her son was venting and meant no harm.
Macras is due to be sentenced at Frankston Magistrates Court on July 17 on charges relating to the 2017 police pursuit.
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