Ex-councillor neighbour in trespass row
A BITTER dispute between a disgraced Tasmanian councillor and his neighbour is playing out in a court hearing in Burnie.
Darren Lindsay Fairbrother, who was convicted of flashing last year, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of trespass involving his neighbour Tony Lock, who is a sexual abuse campaigner.
The hearing, before Magistrate Katie Edwards was told the pair had a “difficult”relationship which peaked in 2021.
Mr Fairbrother, who did not stand for re-election to the Waratah-Wynyard Council in the October 2022 local government election, is accused of being in Mr Lock’s yard when his neighbour arrived home on December 9, 2021.
Mr Lock is the head of organisation Shared Vision, which supports girls and women impacted by sexual predators.
In evidence, Mr Lock told
the court there had been multiple allegations made against Mr Fairbrother in Boat Harbour and he had confronted Mr Fairbrother about them.
Mr Fairbrother was convicted last year of flashing his penis at a mother and son on Boat Harbour Beach. He was fined $800.
Mr Fairbrother has not been charged with any other sexual offences.
Mr Lock told Magistrate Edwards he had told Mr Fairbrother he was not welcome anywhere near his property.
In evidence, Mr Lock claimed Mr Fairbrother was harassing him in a bid to get him to move out of the house he had rented for more than a decade.
Under cross examination Mr Lock admitted he had flashed his bottom at Mr Fairbrother and confronted him about the sexual allegations which were circling the small seaside town.
A video taken by Mr Fairbrother on the day of the alleged trespass was played in court.
In it, Mr Lock can be heard asking for money.
But he denied a suggestion from Mr Fairbrother’s defence attorney Paul Sullivan that he had demanded money from Mr Fairbrother in exchange for silence.
He told Magistrate Edwards the request for money was in regard to moving costs.
Mr Lock has since moved out of Boat Harbour.
The hearing in the Burnie Supreme Court continues.