The former broker convicted of outraging public decency in a 2020 traffic accident has admitted to a host of other offences
The former mortgage broker who was jailed for filming four police officers as they lay dying after a freeway crash has also pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman, road rage offences and sending harassing emails to bank employees.
Richard Pusey pleaded guilty Monday to charges including unlawful assault, using a carriage service to menace, theft and criminal damage, according to a report by The Australian.
Pusey, former owner of Switch Now Home Loans in Melbourne, was previously convicted of outraging public decency and other offences related to a 2020 crash in which four police officers were struck and killed by a truck after pulling Pusey over for speeding. After the officers were struck, Pusey pulled out his phone and filmed them as they lay dying.
Pusey was sentenced to 10 months in jail – a sentence many regarded as too lenient. He has served that sentence, but remains in custody on unrelated charges, The Australian reported.
Pusey admitted to unlawful assault and using a carriage service to menace when he dragged a woman up the stairwell of his home in December last year. When they reached a landing, Pusey put a noose around his own neck, The Australian reported.
Police broke down the door and told Pusey to surrender, but he instead went to a third-floor balcony and climbed onto the roof. Police were not able to convince him to surrender until around 2:30 the following morning.
Hours before he assaulted the woman, Pusey sent text messages to a police sergeant’s phone, including one that read, “I’ll kill everyone then. Thank you for nothing.” Pusey also abused an officer with vile language during a phone call, The Australian reported.
Pusey told the court that there was “a change of medication” a few days before the incident.
Read more: Former mortgage broker Richard Pusey to fight assault charge
Pusey also pleaded guilty to road rage offences including scratching a motorcycle in March 2019 and stealing keys from another driver in a 2018 parking dispute, The Australian reported.
Pusey also admitted to harassing a Westpac employee. The harassment included sending profanity-laced emails which “terrified” the employee and their family, the court was told.
Pusey’s lawyer, Carmen Randazzo, said that he should be sentenced to time served, which was 118 days on remand, The Australian reported.
However, prosecutor Meaghan McDonnell said the sentence should include time served and a community corrections order, which would ensure Pusey sought mental health treatment.
Pusey will be sentenced Wednesday.
