Dr Cedric Spencer pleads not guilty to threatening fellow councillor

The lawyer representing Ku-ring-gai Councillor Cedric Spencer — who has been charged with using a mobile phone to menace, harass or offend — has requested audio recordings made of the alleged incidents.

Dr Cedric Spencer, a lawyer and councillor, appeared in Hornsby Court on Wednesday morning during a brief mention hearing, accompanied by his lawyer James Riley from RGSLaw. Riley told the court his client would plead not guilty.

According to court documents, Spencer was charged at Hornsby Police Station on August 29, 2025, with using “a carriage service namely mobile phone in such a way that reasonable persons would regard that use as being menacing, harassing or offensive contrary to subsection 474.17(1) of the criminal code”.

The acts, which allegedly included a threat to kill a fellow Ku-ring-gai councillor, occurred between 4pm and 4:30pm on November 20, 2024 at Warrawee on the upper North Shore. 

As Riley told the court the audio recordings would be central to the case, Spencer sat behind him in the first row of the public gallery. When the magistrate asked Riley if his client was in the court, Spencer stood. 

The matter was adjourned until November 26, 2025, and Spencer was informed his attendance on that date would not be required.

Exiting the courthouse, Riley announced there would be “no comment from Spencer today”, and that “we’ve entered a plea of not guilty”.

The walk from the courthouse to a waiting car took Riley and Spencer nearly two minutes, but it may have felt like a lot longer, as a Nine reporter peppered Spencer with questions about his alleged behaviour. 

Spencer declined to answer, instead making a call on his mobile phone.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Ku-ring-gai Council said that “Cr Spencer is a duly elected councillor and may continue to perform the functions of a councillor unless otherwise ordered by a court”.

As a practising lawyer, Spencer had seven days after being charged to notify the Law Society in writing, according to its website. He is able to continue working as a lawyer as the legal process unfolds.