A man who claimed to be a spokesman for the family of tasered grandmother Clare Nowland – despite the family themselves stating he was not – has been charged with the assault of a cafe owner in regional NSW.
Andrew Thaler will face court later this month following the alleged violent confrontation at Bertie’s Cafe in Nimmitabel – in the Monaro region of southeastern NSW – at the weekend.
It’s understood Mr Thaler, 51, had a prior dispute with the owners of the cafe and an ABC Back Roads crew who were dining at the address at the time of the confrontation.
In a statement, a NSW Police spokesman said officers attached to Monaro Police District attended the Bombala St address about 2pm on Sunday following reports a woman, 48, and a man, 53, had been assaulted.
“A 51-year-old man was arrested and taken to Cooma Police Station,” the spokesman said.
“He has since been charged with intentionally choke etc person without consent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of common assault and remain on enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse.”
NSW Police confirmed that Mr Thaler has been granted conditional bail and would front Cooma Local Court on May 22.
Mr Thaler previously attracted significant media attention when he presented himself as the spokesman for the family of 95-year-old Clare Nowland after she was fatally tasered in her nursing home in 2023.
The family clarified he was not related to the Nowland family and urged the media not to accept any correspondence from Mr Thaler.
He also unsuccessfully ran as an independent for the federal seat of Eden Monaro in 2022, receiving just 2 per cent of the vote.