An Adelaide father has been jailed for one month after being caught with illegal weapons during a police raid triggered by Facebook posts he allegedly made in support of the Christchurch terrorist attack.
Chad Rolf Vinzelberg was today sentenced in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to four months' jail, but the term was suspended to one month.
The 38-year-old crane operator pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.
Some of the weapons — a medieval mace and crossbow — were found in his "man cave" during a police search at his Smithfield home.
Two flick knives and an extendable baton were found under his bed.
Magistrate Nick Alexandrides said the police raid was prompted by "inappropriate and racist" comments Vinzelberg made online in support of the Christchurch terrorist attack in March 2019.
He said forensic psychologist Dr Lorraine Lim reported that Vinzelberg admitted to having "extremist views" towards particular races of people and religion.
"Dr Lim reports that you had viewed a white supremacist propaganda video posted online which depicted various atrocities towards a girl by a group of Muslim males," he said.
"They subsequently killed the girl. You said you watched a number of other graphic killings in subsequent parts of the same video.
"You said you recall feeling increasingly worked up and described feelings of intense anger. You told Dr Lim it was in that context that you made the inappropriate rant on Facebook.
"You said what happened in Christchurch had felt like 'a hurrah' at the time."
The magistrate described the post as "offensive".
'More open-minded'
Vinzelberg was not charged in relation to the alleged online comments.
Magistrate Alexandrides said Vinzelberg was under the influence of alcohol and did not recall making the social media post.
He said the psychological report stated that the community reaction to his post had forced Vinzelberg to think about his extreme views, and had made him "more open-minded and mature".
Sarah Willis, for Vinzelberg, previously told the court that the psychologist found the father-of-three was not a threat.
"I also do not believe that he's a danger to society," she said.
The court was told that a forensic psychologist stated Vinzelberg's conduct in relation to the posts was a product of "his fixation with social media".
Ms Willis said he had suffered hardship following his arrest and the subsequent media interest had cost him his job and reputation.
