Ex-Lambie staffer confirms cop raid

TASMANIA Police officers have raided the home of Senator Jacqui Lambie’s former chief-of-staff Rob Messenger over a “stalking” allegation.

Six police attended his home on Tuesday morning with a search warrant and seized a computer and digital files.

Mr Messenger — who has not been charged — rejected the allegations and denied any wrongdoing. He criticised police yesterday for not wearing masks during the search, given the coronavirus outbreak.

“My wife and I are in the high-risk category, with chronic illness,” he said. “That was the most concerning thing.”

Tasmania Police would not comment beyond saying no one had been charged. Asked about Tasmania Police’s personal protective equipment guidelines, a spokeswoman said: “PPE should be used whenever coming into or likely to come into close contact with someone suspected or known to be infected by COVID-19.”

Mr Messenger, who is in an ongoing legal battle with Senator Lambie over allegations of unfair dismissal, said police told him the complaint was over a YouTube video he posted about Senator Lambie’s former staffer Norbert Keough.

Senator Lambie’s office and Mr Keough’s lawyer Glynn Williams, who also formerly worked for the senator, did not comment yesterday.

Mr Messenger and his wife Fern are seeking to subpoena Mr Keough as a witness in their unfair dismissal case.

“We accept that the Tasmania Police raid’s timing of only four days after we officially requested Keough be admitted as a key witness was just a coincidence,” he said.