Bulldogs Coach Luke Beveridge Receives $100k Threat Letter; Man Pleads Guilty August 14

Brendon Berry, 54, pleaded guilty on Friday in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to sending Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge a menacing letter demanding $100,000. The letter arrived at Beveridge’s home on June 26, 2025, while he was travelling for work, and included Berry’s real name and banking details on the back. Beveridge said he had never met Berry before receiving the correspondence. The incident prompted the AFL to assign extra security to Beveridge during a match against North Melbourne.

What the letter said and how Beveridge reacted

The handwritten letter demanded Beveridge transfer $100,000 into a supplied bank account by the following Friday. It referenced the Moran crime family and late Collingwood footballer Darren Millane, who died in a car crash in 1991. The letter did not contain explicit threats but insinuated menacing consequences. Beveridge’s son collected the letter and left it on the kitchen bench before his father returned home two days later on June 28, 2025. Beveridge told the court he was “shocked and angry” when he opened it.

Beveridge’s victim impact statement and psychological toll

In his statement to the court, Beveridge said the letter was “deeply disturbing” because it came from someone who did not know him. He explained that receiving it made him concerned about his family’s safety and caused unfamiliar thoughts and emotions. “It almost sent me down a vigilante-thinking track,” he stated, underscoring the psychological impact. Beveridge made clear he was not intimidated into complying with the $100,000 demand, but the incident affected those close to him as well.

Berry’s background and defence

Berry’s defence lawyer described the letter as “unsophisticated” and noted that Berry had struggled to provide coherent reasoning for his actions. Berry reportedly believed he had attended school with Beveridge in the 1980s, a claim the coach disputed. Court documents revealed Berry had a significant criminal history, including imprisonment for aggravated burglary with a firearm, though he had not entered trouble since his last sentence. Prosecutor Andrew McCowan said the letter did not detail specific threats but insinuated them.

AFL security response and court outcome

The AFL was sufficiently concerned about the letter to provide Beveridge with additional security during the club’s match against North Melbourne. Berry pleaded guilty to charges including using a postal service to menace. Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard the case on Friday, August 14, 2026. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Final Thoughts

Berry’s guilty plea closes the investigation into the menacing letter, though sentencing remains pending. The case highlights the real impact of extortion attempts on public figures and their families, even when the threats lack explicit violence. Beveridge’s willingness to speak publicly about the psychological toll underscores how such incidents extend far beyond the letter itself.

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