A Sydney teacher and father of three who allegedly led Pauline Hanson to believe her New South Wales election result had been sabotaged has appeared in court. Sean Castle appeared in the NSW Supreme Court and apologised for not showing up when required to on Wednesday.
“My name is Sean Castle. I have represented myself as being Michael Rattner,” he said. “Firstly, I sincerely apologise to the Supreme Court for my conduct in not attending the court on June 8. “I’ve given an undertaking today to the court that I will attend any further hearings as required by the court until excused by the court.”
Earlier this week, a warrant was issued for a man identified as Michael Rattner after he failed to appear to give evidence in the case.
He is allegedly the source of leaked emails between NSW Electoral Commission staff that are central to Ms Hanson’s challenge.
The One Nation founder ran for the NSW Upper House in the March state election and missed out on a seat by 1,300 votes.
Ms Hanson is challenging the result on the basis of the alleged emails mentioning dodgy staff may have put votes for her in blank ballot piles.
On Thursday, Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham, the man who narrowly defeated Ms Hanson for the seat, raised the possibility she may have been duped after saying he had been contacted by a man claiming to be a journalist.
The man, named Michael Wilson, purported to work for The Daily Telegraph newspaper and claimed to be in touch with Mr Rattner.
Full Article: Star witness in Hanson case fronts court – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).