Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge was allegedly targeted in an $100,000 blackmail plot - with the accused failing to appear in court.
Brendon Berry, 53, didn't attend the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday after being accused of sending a letter to Beveridge demanding money “in a manner which a reasonable person would regard as menacing”, a report in The Age revealed.
Berry has been charged with making an unwarranted demand for money with menace and using a postal service in a manner that could be regarded as menacing.
Court documents detail the alleged threat occurred during June 27 and June 28 earlier this year but the exact contents of the letter have not been revealed.
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The AFL Integrity Unit appointed a security guard to be beside Beveridge during July 3's match against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium - with the reason unknown publicly at the time.
Berry, who is the son of deceased boxing trainer Leo Berry, has had a warrant issued for his arrest after failing to appear in court to answer the accusations.
It is the second time Berry has failed to appear in court this month and the courts attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.
“I don’t issue warrants ever lightly. We explore all possibilities as we should … and I think I’ve exhausted all those possibilities,” Magistrate Donna Bakos said.
On two other occasions an AFL coach has been targeted by separate unrelated threats in 2025 - with Melbourne's Simon Goodwin and Carlton's Michael Voss the victims.
An anonymous post on X suggested someone would be waiting at Goodwin's car after a match, while a Collingwood supporter sent a death threat about Voss to the MCG's anti-social message service.