St James resident and Mason ward candidate Frank Lanza said he was shocked to hear he had inadvertently offended a man after an off-the-cuff comment about political alliances was mistaken as a sexual innuendo.
While campaigning at a community gathering last month, Mr Lanza asked the man who another council candidate was “in bed” with.
“Politically aligned with, that’s what I meant,” he said.
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READ NOW“For me it is normal Aussie speak, aside from any insensitivity. We use it everywhere. I was mortified when I learned I’d offended him.”
Mr Lanza alleged he was threatened with violence after he tried to apologise.
He said the man warned him to stop campaigning and told him not to go to the local shops or attend community gatherings.
WA Police define threatening behaviour as an oral or written declaration of intention to punish, hurt or injure someone’s body, property or reputation.
Following investigations, police charged a man with one count of threatening to injure. He is on bail and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court today.
Mr Lanza said he was shaken by the threats and was now wary of leaving his home, particularly after dark.
He said it was shocking but conceded the campaigning for the City of Canning council was high stakes for the 47 nominees.