Shocking leaked messages sent by Dezi Freeman reveal he was accused of child sexual abuse offences years before he allegedly shot dead two officers serving a warrant linked to similar claims.
The explosive private texts obtained and verified by Daily Mail, show Freeman furiously claimed he had been 'set up' after his arrest in 2021, and branded the allegations 'the lowest act of all' as he ranted about taking revenge against police.
The messages were sent after his dramatic public arrest outside the Myrtleford Magistrates Court, in Victoria's north-east, during an anti-government protest. They paint a chilling picture of a man consumed by rage.
Along with the messages, Freeman also shared footage of his arrest with the local community member and vented his fury at police, accusing authorities of trying to destroy him publicly by linking him to child abuse allegations.
'It was all set up,' he claimed.
'One blabbed that they came up especially to get me and they did it with extreme violence right in the town square on the big court day.
'They had the media primed and in place. They tried the Benalla line but quickly gave up on that.
'They tried the lowest act of all to try and pedo me. That BS failed too. Then they leaked that to the media for character assassination.
Shocking leaked messages sent by Dezi Freeman reveal he was accused of child sexual abuse offences years before he allegedly shot dead two officers
Dezi sent this shocking message to a trusted friend after he was arrested in 2021
'Filthy gutter tactics from demonic cowards. They used violence to make a statement and discredit the truth movement. Now they have given my enemies and themselves more ammo.
'They hate that video of me arresting Dunn & 4 pigs.
'I must destroy these c***s.'
During the video of his arrest Freeman can be seen pinned to the ground by several officers as he yells for help.
At one stage his wife Mali attempts to help him claiming 'he hasn't done anything,' but she is blocked by two more cops.
The disturbing messages and video were provided to Daily Mail amid renewed scrutiny surrounding the deaths of two police officers who attended Freeman's rural property to execute a warrant linked to historic child sexual abuse allegations.
It was those allegations that brought at least 10 officers to Freeman's remote home in Porepunkah on August 26 last year, unaware the father-of-three had a homemade shotgun hidden inside his bus.
What began as a planned warrant operation quickly spiralled into horror.
Mali Freeman is seen during the 2021 arrest video trying to help her husband
Dezi Freeman posted this image to his social media after the accusations of child sexual assault and his arrest in 2021
During the tense and prolonged 2025 standoff, Freeman repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, insisted the warrant was fake and demanded a disability support worker.
But as police tried to de-escalate the situation, they eventually gained entry to the bus through a window. It was then that Freeman opened fire, killing Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart.
'No one close to Dezi condones what happened that day, its awful,' revealed a friend. 'But we do believe all of this could have been avoided.'
'Dezi had been spiralling for years, he had a vendetta against police and truly believed they were out to get him, kill him or charge him for a crime he says he didn't commit.
'This is not new information to the police, they were fully aware of his public threats he made no secret of them
'Which is why what has happened is so devastating, because so many families have been destroyed and it didn't need to happen.'
In September last year, Daily Mail revealed details of the shocking sexual abuse allegations against Freeman.
According to his inner circle the disturbing episode involved a young girl and took place years ago during a family outing at Mount Buffalo.
According to his inner circle the disturbing episode involved a young girl and took place years ago during a family outing at Mount Buffalo.
Friends say they centre around a day trip when the self-styled naturist took his children and their friend on a hike to a waterhole behind his property.
It was there that Freeman stripped off to swim naked in front of his sons and the young girl without warning.
'Dezi believes in living like ancient tribes, living off the land and being nude,' the friend told Daily Mail.
'Yes, it is wildly inappropriate to do that and most people would realise that, but Dezi did not like to conform to societal expectations.'
Traumatised, the young girl later confided in her parents, who were so upset they confronted Freeman.
'He brushed it off as a misunderstanding and was actually annoyed they brought it up,' the friend said.
'Later he even told others the matter had been blown out of proportion.'
Freeman believed that, years later, clearly still distressed by his untoward behaviour, the young girl filed an official police complaint against him.
During a trip, Freeman had stripped off to swim naked in front of his sons and a young girl they were with without warning
The allegations culminated in the 2025 siege. Daily Mail has seen extraordinary footage of the 27-minute showdown.
'We have got a search warrant right here,' one officer said in the video.
'Come out and have a look at it. Come out and talk to us Dez, we are not going away.'
In the clip, Freeman demands to know what the warrant is for, and when told it related to a sexual assault allegation involving the girl, who the police named, he erupted.
'Oh for f*** sake what bulls***,' he screamed, branding the police 'psychopaths' and accusing them of 'terrorising him'.
'You have been targeting me for seven years,' Freeman claimed.
'Tell your goons to stop breaking the door. This is domestic terrorism, why did you join the police, so you can terrorise families.'
He accused the police of 'trespassing' and committing 'countless crimes'.
Detective Neal Thompson, 59, was shot dead at the hands of Freeman
Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, was also killed in the ambush
Given his history and open hatred for authority, senior officers made the decision to arrive with ten officers in both plain clothes and uniform as a precaution.
What followed was an extended back and forth between Freeman and several officers.
Freeman continued to rail against the sexual assault allegation, demanding more details, but police said they did not want to discuss the matter in front of his wife and children.
Within 30 minutes of police arriving, Freeman had gunned down two of the officers and fled into the bush, which sparked one of the biggest manhunts in Australian history.
It ended when police shot Freeman on March 30. On Monday an inquest began in the Coroners Court of Victoria into the deaths of the fallen officers.
The court heard that Freeman mocked a dead policeman and looted his body after shooting him in the head with a shotgun.
'F***ing scum ... you f***ing die,' Freeman shouted as Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart lay on the ground.
Standing over the bodies of his victims, the gunman unleashed his hate-filled rant at the dying officers.
A police officer is seen using a crowbar to try and open the bus door as officers watch on
Victoria Police officers are seen in the makeshift kitchen attached to Dezi Freeman's bus as they try to serve him a warrant linked to allegations of historical sex assault on a minor
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson was shot first to the side of the face and neck as he entered the bus through a window, collapsing instantly.
Senior Constable De Waart-Hottart was shot in the head as he tried to run - Freeman then taking his weapon.
'I had no choice. I had no choice,' Freeman said repeatedly after shooting the officers.
Those closest to him are devastated by the incident and brand his actions 'cruel,' but given his long and volatile history with police, they also claim they are not surprised.
'It was brutal, there was no need to do that after they died,' they said.























