A man who sent Victoria Police tweets threatening "an officer will die" and urged Islamic State to behead captives might have been suffering a psychiatric disorder caused by excessive cannabis use, a court has heard.
Khodr Moustafa Taha, 35, of Brunswick also sent messages of support to Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis, assaulted a former employer and his own mother, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard in a plea hearing on Wednesday.
Taha has pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including using a carriage service to threaten, possessing swords and ammunition, and assaulting his mother and a former employer.
His lawyer Kimani Boden said Taha had suffered paranoia from excessive cannabis use, and said medical reports revealed a likely psychiatric disorder may have reduced his capacity to regard the consequences of his actions on others.
He said Taha, who had a difficult childhood including being subjected to corporal punishment, had expressed "great regret" and remorse over his actions.
"I was just an idiot because I was smoking dope. I was a f***ing idiot," Mr Boden quoted from Mr Taha.
Mr Boden urged Magistrate Jelena Popovic to consider rehabilitation as the focus of Taha's sentence.
He said Taha no longer used cannabis and, after struggling to find work since his arrest, he had decided to study creative writing.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Higginbotham said while the social media threats against police and others were worrying, the assaults were the more serious charges.
He said one incident where Taha aimed a hammer at a man's head could have been a lot worse had it not been for circumstances outside Taha's control.
He also questioned Taha's remorse for the assault against his mother, saying he had indicated "satisfaction" in the aftermath.
Ms Popovic ordered that Taha be assessed for a Community Corrections Order, but noted she had not decided whether to impose the order by itself or in combination with a prison term.
Taha, who spent seven days in custody after his arrest in January, is on bail on strict conditions.
He will return to court on Friday to be sentenced.
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