Man charged over WA MP threats says weapon was musical instrument

A man has appeared in a Perth court to face charges related to an alleged threatening incident at the electorate office of Western Australian Labor MP Hannah Beazley. Police allege the man brandished a weapon during the encounter, an accusation the defendant has formally contested in court.

During the proceedings, the defendant claimed that the object police identified as a weapon was actually a musical instrument. The case remains before the court as authorities and the defense address the conflicting accounts regarding the nature of the item involved in the incident.