Barnett accepts death-threat teen apology
A teenager who threatened to kill West Australian Premier Colin Barnett over the state government's controversial shark-cull policy did a "silly and obscene" thing, but he believes she is genuinely remorseful.
Drew Gregory, 18, sent the premier an email in December saying she would put a knife to his throat.
"You're a murderer, you are evil, I will kill you," she reportedly said in the email.
Gregory was charged with making a threat to kill and pleaded guilty in the District Court, the West Australian newspaper reports.
She was sentenced to 36 hours community service and a nine-month supervision order.
The teenager was also granted a spent conviction.
Gregory had mediation with Mr Barnett, who said on Saturday it was a useful meeting in which she apologised sincerely and he accepted.
"I was quite disgusted by it (the email)," he told reporters.
"It didn't cause me any personal grief, but it certainly upset some of the younger staff members who had to deal with it."
Mr Barnett said although Gregory's actions were not acceptable, she was young and genuinely remorseful.
He said he did not believe she deserved a custodial sentence because it would have harmed her development.
"She made a bad mistake. It was the wrong thing. I just hope she gets on with her life," the premier said.
Mr Barnett said he had been surprised by the strong reaction to the shark-cull policy, but believed the man who previously attacked his office with a hammer was a bigger threat than Gregory.
He said he did not like having to capture sharks any more than the next person, but his government had to respond after a spate of fatal shark attacks.
