Thomas Sewell, a prominent figure associated with Neo-Nazi activities, is set to face trial following accusations of an assault at an Aboriginal protest location.
The 33-year-old appeared via video link at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday morning, where he was implicated in the incident at Camp Sovereignty.
Authorities allege that Sewell led a group that invaded the protest site after participating in an anti-immigration demonstration in Melbourne’s city center last August.
The group, reportedly clad in black attire, is accused of restraining and physically assaulting occupants of the Indigenous camp through kicks and punches.
Three individuals sustained injuries during the incident, with one woman requiring staples to treat a wound on her scalp, as previously detailed in court.
On Thursday, Sewell formally denied all allegations, entering a plea of not guilty to five charges, which include violent disorder, affray, and unlawful assault.
He was originally charged with more than 20 offences but prosecutors withdrew most of the charges during Thursday’s hearing.
Magistrate Donna Bakos found the evidence against Sewell was of a sufficient weight to support a conviction.
Sewell only spoke briefly to confirm his plea of not guilty before he was committed to stand trial in the Victorian County Court.
Co-accused Nathan Bull appeared in court where he too pleaded not guilty to offences of violent disorder, affray, assault by kicking and failing to state his name or address.
Bakos also committed Bull to trial and extended the two men’s bail to a County Court directions hearing date in April.
Fellow accused Timothy Holger Lutze, Augustus Coolie Hartigan and Ryan Williams will each contest their charges in a Magistrates Court committal hearing set down for May.
Blake Cathcart, who was also charged over the alleged campsite attack, has pleaded guilty to charges of violent disorder and assault with a weapon.
He will face a plea hearing in the County Court in August.
There are a further seven co-accused who are either contesting the charges at a committal hearing or at trial in the County Court, while Jaeden Johnson pleaded guilty in February.
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