A neo-Nazi leader accused of masterminding an attack on an Aboriginal protest site has enjoyed a rare win in court after a swag of charges against him were dropped.
On Thursday, Thomas Sewell, 32, tuned into the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via video link to hear prosecutors had abandoned most of the allegations against him.
Sewell had been facing 25 charges including violent disorder and affray, and was one of 15 people charged over an incident at a First Nations camp in Melbourne’s Kings Domain.
Prosecutors alleged he led a group of far-right extremists to attack occupants of Camp Sovereignty on August 31.
Sewell is alleged to have kicked and punched a person during a melee in which seven victims had been identified, the Supreme Court heard last year.
But prosecutors on Thursday announced they had discontinued all but five charges.
No reasons were given as to why the charges were withdrawn.
As it now stands, Sewell still faces the two main charges of violent disorder and affray, which he formally pleaded not guilty to on Thursday.
Thomas Sewell (centre) was heckled by a bystander as he left court earlier this year
The remaining charges related to an unlawful assault, and allegations he breached his bail conditions.
With the main charges unable to be heard in the lower court, Sewell is now gearing up for a trial at the County Court of Victoria later this year.
At his last appearance, Sewell told reporters outside court his dispute with prosecutors was over the idea that the attack was ‘unprovoked’.
He said his associates had been attacked at a March for Australia protest before the Camp Sovereignty incident.
‘If we can agree to the facts, then I’m happy to do what’s needed to be done,’ Sewell told reporters.
‘This idea that I just walk around the street punching people for no reason… that’s just a lie.’
A member of the public heckled Sewell as he spoke to media, telling him: ‘You put Australia to shame, buddy.’
Three people were injured in the alleged attack on the camp, with one woman requiring staples in her scalp to close a wound, the court was previously told.
Thomas Sewell (centre with cap) is accused of roughing up a First Nations camp in Melbourne’s Kings Domain.
Thomas Sewell claims he and his mates had been earlier provoked by camp members
Three of Sewell’s co-accused – Zack Steven Dewaard, Billy Conheady and Haymish Busscher – have already formally pleaded not guilty to charges including violent disorder and affray.
They will each face trial in the Victorian County Court.
The other accused – Jake Crockett, Michael Nelson, Yan Zakharin and Michael Saarinen – will fight the allegations at a magistrates’ court committal hearing in May.
Jaeden Johnson was the only one to admit offending, pleading guilty to charges of violent disorder, assault by kicking and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
He will face a plea hearing in the County Court in August.
Sewell was granted bail in the Supreme Court of Victoria in November.
Justice James Elliott ordered Sewell to live in a sharehouse with his two children and fiancée, who put up a $20,000 surety and promised to alert authorities if he breached his bail conditions.
He has also been banned from attending the Melbourne CBD or the vicinity of Kings Domain.
