Court Video Hearing Disrupted by Trolls Abusing Reporter's Mother

Uninvited intruders disrupted a court video hearing in Melbourne on Tuesday, verbally abusing the mother of independent crime reporter Ryan Naumenko. The perpetrators accessed the court's video feed, with their cameras off, and directed foul-mouthed insults at Naumenko and his mother during the proceeding.

"Ryan Naumenko you're a bad fing dog. You're a bad dog," one of the unseen individuals stated. "Ryan's mum got a dy p, the fing dog."

Naumenko, a reporter for Outlaw Media, was appearing in Melbourne Magistrates' Court via video link on charges of breaching an intervention order. The hearing was already underway when the unauthorized participants joined the call.

Naumenko's mother was allegedly targeted by machete-wielding assailants last October, an incident suspected to be a retaliation for his reporting. During Tuesday's hearing, one of the intruders shouted, "Look at the bloody cowboy. You get that, f*** his mum,' 'Ryan, your mum's a s***.'

Deputy Chief Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge ordered the video link to be terminated due to the ongoing abuse. However, the insults continued even after the order was given. The hearing was only restored to order after the entire video feed, including media present, was disconnected.

Following the disruption, Magistrate Lethbridge addressed Naumenko, emphasizing the importance of in-person court appearances. "This is a perfect example as to why you don't appear online. You appear in court," he stated. "You appear in court on the next occasion this matter is listed. Do you understand?"

Naumenko expressed his dismay at the incident, questioning how random individuals could access and disrupt a court proceeding. "I mean it is sheer contempt of court and it's kind of ironic considering the reasons I was in court in the first place," he told the Daily Mail.

Naumenko explained that the intervention order against him was issued to protect former bikie and disgraced ABC reporter Mahmood Fazal. Fazal was dismissed by the ABC in May after launching an unauthorized podcast with Naumenko in late 2025. The two reportedly parted ways after a dispute, with Naumenko making accusations that Fazal had requested payment in cryptocurrency without informing his ABC supervisor.

"I just find that it's absolutely wild that [Fazal] has taken time out of his life to go to the police to try to prosecute a non-issue breach, like literally mentioning his name in a YouTube chat and mentioning his last name on a podcast interview, is wild," Naumenko said. "I don't even understand why I have been made to go to court and why the police went ahead and breached me."

He also commented on the intervention order itself, stating, "Not to mention that that IVO was made in record time without even me being allowed to appear to defend myself when that IVO was issued."

Court rules are in place to prevent unauthorized access to video links, implemented after anti-lockdown protesters flooded a public video link in December 2021 to disrupt a hearing involving then-Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.

Naumenko's lawyer, Aabed Anaki, informed the court that his client intends to contest the charge when the case returns in December.

Last year, Naumenko's mother's house was allegedly invaded. In February, Victoria Police's Gang Crime Squad charged a 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man in connection with the alleged home invasion.