Eastman threatened to bash public servant with bat, court told

Another former bureaucrat, told the ACT Supreme Court that Mr Eastman would sometimes become angry and abusive when frustrated by his dealings with the public service.

Mr Eastman is on trial before Acting Justice Murray Kellam accused of murdering Assistant Federal Police Commissioner Colin Winchester on January 10, 1989.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Winchester was shot dead in his car after pulling into a neighbour's Deakin driveway.

On Wednesday, the court heard evidence from Michael Frodyma, who worked in the Department of Finance in the 1980s and dealt with Mr Eastman’s claim for an act of grace payment.

Mr Frodyma said Mr Eastman made a number of complaints about the progress of his claim over the years, which he believed to be the result of bureaucratic incompetence.

The witness said Mr Eastman would sometimes become aggressive if you did not agree with his assertions and, in August 1987, when told his application for payment had been rejected, he had threatened to knock in Mr Frodyma's head with a baseball bat.

Under cross-examination, Mr Frodyma said that at no time did Mr Eastman ever approach him, or repeat his intention, to carry out the threat.

Peter Paramore, who had dealings with Mr Eastman through his roles at the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, told the court the accused would, at times, become angry and abusive at staff when frustrated with the public service.

Mr Paramore said Mr Eastman's anger and frustration, in general, grew over the years as he had been concerned about his long-term security.