A former actor from the television soap opera Neighbours has been found guilty of performing a gesture that mimicked a Nazi salute. Damien Richardson, aged 56, faced charges for this act, which took place at a restaurant in Melbourne’s south-east in September 2024, during a speech he was delivering.

During a two-day contested hearing at the Moorabbin Magistrates Court this week, footage of the incident was presented. The magistrate, while reviewing the evidence, noted, “I do not find that it demonstrates loyalty or unconditional obedience to Hitler,” emphasizing the broader context surrounding the gesture.

Before making the gesture, Richardson expressed grievances about his portrayal in certain articles from The Age, which he argued depicted him in a Nazi-like manner as a way to dismiss what he described as extreme right-wing views. The magistrate commented that the gesture seemed to be a mocking action, potentially targeting The Age or perhaps himself, although he admitted he had not personally reviewed the articles in question.

“I do not find that it demonstrates loyalty or unconditional obedience to Hitler,” the magistrate said, taking into account all of the context about the gesture being made.

Prior to the salute, Richardson complained about his treatment in some Age articles, which he claimed labelled him as Nazi-like “to shut down what some might describe as extreme right-wing views”, the magistrate said.

“The salute that came immediately afterwards was in a mocking gesture, perhaps aimed at The Age, perhaps aimed at himself,” Foster said, adding he had not seen or investigated the articles himself.

“Together with the following the words … that he clearly wasn’t Adolf Hitler, and that he’s not a Nazi.

“And in fact, he went on a few moments later to describe how his own grandfather had fought in the war against Nazis and against the Nazi ideology, and he was very proud of his grandfather for doing that.”

Foster found Richardson also spent time during the 10-minute speech “shutting down what might be described as elements of anti-Semitism in the room”.

“And so I do not find beyond reasonable doubt, even on the balance of probabilities, that he was showing loyalty, affiliation or obedience, he was doing it to either mock himself or mock The Age newspaper,” he said.

Richardson will return to court on December 4 for a pre-sentence hearing.