A Winmalee man was taken into custody by detectives this week after an investigation by the NSW Police Force's Fixated Persons Unit, relating to alleged harassment of the mayor and the state member.
The man has been charged following an investigation into an alleged decade-long campaign of threats and harassment to public servants in the Blue Mountains.
Earlier this year, detectives from the Fixated Persons Investigation Unit established Strike Force Hirst to investigate reports a man was harassing and threatening members of council, including the Mayor, and state and federal Parliaments from the Blue Mountains area.
Following extensive investigations, FPIU officers arrested a 37-year-old man just off Hawkesbury Road, Winmalee, about 1pm on Wednesday August 14.
He was taken to Springwood Police Station and charged with three counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm, three counts of use carriage service to menace/harass/offend, and two counts of publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.
Mayor Mark Greenhill told the Gazette: "I have not previously spoken about this, but I have been the subject of unwanted attention over a number of years by a person not previously known to me."
"While it has been very difficult, I just got on with the job of being mayor. I understand a person has been arrested, the matter should properly stay now with the NSW Police Force."
Police will allege in court that the man made false allegations of sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and inappropriate relationships; and made threats to others via email, social media, text messages, and phone calls about enabling the same.
State MP for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, said she "had been the subject of unwanted attention for a couple of years ... me and my staff relating to emails, phone calls, social media and letters".
"The police on my behalf took out an apprehended violence order last year because of stalking, intimidation, menacing and harassing and that was renewed again a couple of months ago."
Both Cr Greenhill and Ms Doyle thanked the investigations unit for their support.
"They have been fantastic," Ms Doyle.
The man was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Penrith Local Court on Thursday September 5.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the NSW Police Force's Fixated Persons Unit is comprised of 17 detectives and government mental health workers. It was formed in 2017. It performs risk assessments on so-called lone actors or unstable people who are seemingly fixated on issues or individuals but are not considered persons of interest for counter-terrorism police.
