A man's decision to leave one negative Trip Advisor review about a luxury Hepburn holiday rental led to a flurry of online abuse from the business owner and a stressful court process.
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The owner of the business, who The Courier has not named because he avoided a conviction, faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The owner threatened the man who posted the online review to remove the post and issue and apology in June 2020.
He threatened the victim with a second email three days later stating "tomorrow 25,000 people in Melbourne are going to know your name and your face and what a scumbag you are".
He wrote: "...you have been unfair and set out to hurt us and also unreasonable in not removing your review".
He slandered me and attempted to get me fired.
- Victim
The holiday rental owner sent an email to the managing director at the victim's work which said "you must know he is a rude thug that gets by on bullying people".
He threatened to publish the name of the victim's employer and the victim's email and other details online.
"You simply cannot possibly want to keep this lowlife dirt bag employed after what he has done," the man wrote in the email to the victim's managing director.
He was charged with using a carriage service to menace and harass the victim.
The victim attended court on Tuesday with his wife and baby, represented by a lawyer, who argued against the accused man being given a diversion because the victim was not consulted in the process.
A diversion allows an accused person to avoid a criminal record if they are of good behaviour for six months.
The victim told the court the holiday rental owner led a 'deliberately calculated campaign' to discredit him in among his professional associates.
"He slandered me and attempted to get me fired," the victim told the court.
Magistrate Steven Raleigh said the accused man had no prior convictions, was 'anxious' to avoid a police record, had mental and physical health issues.
He granted the application for diversion, meaning the holiday rental owner avoided a conviction and must be of good behaviour for six months.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
