Sydney man gets court date for legal test case over alleged Facebook rape threats

Zane Alchin allegedly made explicit rape threats on Facebook but his defence will rest on legal argument over whether internet is 'a carriage service'

A Sydney man who allegedly made explicit rape threats on Facebook has had a hearing date set in a case described as a test of both legal and police responses to the online harassment of women.

Zane Alchin, 25, of Caringbah, was charged in late October with using a carriage service to menace after allegedly threatening rape in comments posted on Facebook in August.