Self-styled sovereign citizen and accused police killer Dezi Freeman has been blasted by his own family and former neighbours for taking taxpayer-funded disability pension payments for more than 20 years while railing against government authority.
The 56-year-old fugitive, who has been on the run since August 26 after allegedly murdering two Victorian police officers, is accused of pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in welfare while publicly rejecting the legitimacy of the state.
Relatives labelled Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, a “hypocrite”, while a former neighbour in Myrtleford called him a “coward”.
“He never worked, never had any money … that’s what used to s*** me too because he was so against the government, but then got his Centrelink cheque every week,” she told the Herald Sun.
Family members said Freeman complained constantly about poverty and victimhood, claiming his pension entitlement stemmed from little more than a sore tooth.
“It wasn’t about working for money. It was about trying to get it from the Government,” one relative said.
“He always wanted people to empathise … the hypocrisy. The whole family kind of laughed at him.”
Despite portraying himself as a disability pensioner in past legal fights, Freeman flaunted his fitness online – swimming, hunting and mountain biking in rugged terrain while presenting himself as a survivalist and martial artist.
Those very bush skills are now aiding his evasion of one of Australia’s largest recent manhunts, with Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush admitting Freeman’s knowledge of Victoria’s alpine northeast was hampering the search. “He knows that area … better than us,” he said. “That’s why we’re putting in every expert and supported by local knowledge as well.”
Freeman has long expressed hostility towards police, describing officers as “friggin’ Nazis”, “terrorist thugs”, “Gestapo” and “corrupt filth”.
The Disability Support Pension is means-tested, with the current maximum rate sitting at $1149 a fortnight. A Services Australia spokesman said he could not confirm individual payments.
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