A court case involving the man who sexually abused former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and is accused of harassing her online has been further delayed because of his health.
Nicolaas Ockert Bester pleaded not guilty in March 2023 to three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The 72-year-old is accused of making public posts in relation to and directed at Ms Tame in April, July and August of 2022.
Bester was jailed in 2011 for sexually abusing Ms Tame when she was a 15-year-old student at the school where he taught and for possessing child exploitation material.
He appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court on Wednesday, with his lawyer Todd Kovacic saying prosecutors needed further evidence in relation to medical reports.
On August 5, Mr Kovacic told the court Bester had been diagnosed with vascular dementia and his fitness to face a hearing was an issue.
‘The (prosecution) require some further evidence – they need time to be able to arrange that,’ Mr Kovacic said on Wednesday.
‘We need a couple of months … before setting down for whatever hearing it may need.’
Bester’s fitness to face a hearing remained a ‘live issue’, the court was told.
Nicolaas Ockert Bester pleaded not guilty in March 2023 to three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence
Grace Tame is pictured at the Marie Claire 2024 International Women’s Day Luncheon
Mr Kovacic previously told the court Bester’s fitness to face a hearing would ‘almost certainly be conceded’ based on medical assessments from the defence and prosecution.
Magistrate Andrew McKee adjourned the matter to November 5 and tentatively listed a hearing for December 23, pending the availability of expert medical witnesses.
Mr McKee said the case, which has previously been slowed down to obtain medical reports, was ‘drifting’. Bester was charged in October 2022.
The court was told it was unlikely Ms Tame would be required to give evidence.
Ms Tame, who was not present in court but has attended on other occasions, was the 2021 Australian of the Year and has advocated for child sexual abuse survivors.
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