Bobby Bourke, Darryl Leahey charged over 2020 letter to Bathurst councillor Jacqui Rudge

And Cr Bourke says he will still contest the coming Bathurst Regional Council election on December 4 with the charge hanging over his head.

"This is a political game that I've been going through for the last four years in my position as a councillor and as mayor," he told the Western Advocate on Friday evening.

Cr Bourke has been charged with blackmail and misconduct in public office over his role in the letter sent to Cr Rudge warning her to leave council within seven days or risk having her previous battles with mental health made public.

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Cr Bourke, who is due to appear in Bathurst Local Court on January 19 to answer the charges, has always maintained he did not know the contents of the letter when he arranged for it to be mailed to Cr Rudge.

Officers attached to Chifley Police District established Strike Force Niara in March 2020 to investigate the origins of the letter

A second man, Bathurst businessman Darryl Leahey, faces a single charge of blackmail and is also due in court on January 19.

Mr Leahey told the Western Advocate two weeks ago that he was the author of the letter and claimed he was only acting in the interests of the Bathurst community and Cr Rudge when he urged her to seek help.

"... I apologise if any hurt but stand by my comments that Cr Rudge was unfit to represent our community and should seek help, which she has," he said at the time.

NSW Police confirmed the charges in a statement to the media on Friday evening.

"Two men have been charged with blackmail over a threatening letter that was sent to a woman in Bathurst," police said in the statement.

"... Today (Friday 12 November 2021), police attended a business on Peel Street, Bathurst and charged a 66-year-old man with blackmail and misconduct in public office. He was issued a court attendance notice to appear at Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday 19 January 2022.

"At the same location, police also charged a 62-year-old man with blackmail. He was also issued a court attendance notice to appear at Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday 19 January 2022."

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