Peris tormenter sentenced for racist posts

A chiropractor who aimed a racist social media tirade at retired senator Nova Peris has been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence.

Supplied

Former Labor senator Nova Peris. Source: Supplied

The former NSW Liberal Party member behind an expletive-laden tirade targeting retired Labor senator Nova Peris has narrowly avoided a stint behind bars.

Christopher Richard Nelson, a chiropractor from the state's Central Coast, was charged after aiming racist abuse at Ms Peris via social media.

On Tuesday he was sentenced in Woy Woy Local Court to eight months' imprisonment for using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, but the 64-year-old will not serve time provided he remains of good behaviour for two years.
Ms Peris, Australia's first female Indigenous federal parliamentarian, announced her retirement from politics in May, days before Nelson was charged.

"Go back to the bush and suck on witchity grubs and yams. Stop painting your f***ing face with white s*** in parliament," Nelson had written on her Facebook page.

Court records indicate Nelson was subject to a bond for mid-range drink-driving when he penned the vile comments, which referred to the Olympian as a "black c***".

That bond was revoked on Tuesday and Nelson was fined $900.

Nelson originally denied responsibility for the offensive comments.

"I was clearly hacked. I'm the victim of a really horrible and extremely vicious hacking," he told News Corporation Australia at the time.

But in a quick about-face, Nelson pleaded guilty when he fronted court for the first time in June.


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