Far-right numpty and white supremacist wally Blair Cottrell has taken another ‘L’ this week, with a Victorian judge deciding that his appeal against hate speech convictions will not be elevated to a higher Victorian court.
In her statements, Judge Lisa Hannan confirmed that the case will remain in the county court system.
Back in September 2017, the The United Patriots Front leader and two of his supporters were convicted of inciting hatred, contempt and ridicule of Muslims after the trio filmed themselves conducting a mock ISIS-style execution of a dummy in protest of a Bendigo mosque.
This marks the second time that Cottrell has attempted to appeal the conviction by elevating the case to the the Victorian Supreme Court, and the second time he’s been rejected. Cottrell’s argument is propped up by the notion that he was convicted under an “invalid” law under the Australian constitution.
Cottrell has dusted off Victoria’s charter of human rights and responsibilities to beef up his defence, which supports freedom of thought, conscience, religious belief and expression.
In her statement, per The Guardian, Judge Hannan described the case as neither “novel nor complex”, that referring it to a higher court at this time would only “fragment” the case and that the County Court system was well equipped to deal with the matter.
As is his style, Cottrell has taken to his safe place of Gab, just about the only social media platform to not ban him, to denounce the Judge’s statement, and of course the “pseudo-journalists” who since reported.
“The trial hasn’t begun yet. I have been simply trying to refer the matter to a higher court because I believe higher courts are less susceptible to media pressure and the bureaucratic tentacles of state corruption.”
“I haven’t failed anything” he said, before literally describing the thing he failed at.
Victoria’s legal top brass are paying close attention to the matter. Earlier in the year, Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy announced she would personally intervene in the case to argue that the conviction is not unconstitutional.
Indeed, it isn’t just the legal community or social media platforms who have taken issue with Cottrell’s hate speech. Some weeks back, Westpac informed Cottrell they would be cancelling his personal banking account with them after Cottrell shared his Westpac banking details in an attempt to raise donations to his cause.
Judge Hannan has gone one the record to confirm the importance of the case not just to Cottrell, but to the larger community. As it stands, Cottrell is one of the first Australian’s to be charged under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act.
The 10-day trial, which could very well set the tone for racial and religious debate in Australia, begins on August 8th.
