Tennis player Dokic’s father faces retrial on charges he threatened Australian ambassador

Tennis player Jelena Dokic’s father faces retrial

RUMA, Serbia — The father of tennis player Jelena Dokic faced a retrial Thursday on charges that he threatened the Australian ambassador to Serbia.

Damir Dokic was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June, but a retrial was ordered because ambassador Claire Birgin did not testify in person during the original hearing. She was instead represented by a lawyer.

Dokic, 50, was brought under police escort to the court in Ruma, a town about 30 miles northwest of Belgrade.

“We expect justice from the court and that Damir will be a free man,” Dokic’s lawyer, Bosiljka Djukic, said before the court proceedings started.

In June, Dokic was found guilty of “endangering the security” of the ambassador in Belgrade and unlawful possession of weapons, including a hand grenade, which were impounded during a police search of his home.

Dokic was arrested in May after reportedly saying he would blow up Birgin’s car if she didn’t stop negative articles about him from being published in Australia.

Jelena Dokic had given interviews to Australian media, saying her father had beaten her.

Dokic told Serbian media he would fire a rocket launcher at Birgin’s car, but later said the statements were made in anger. He also has admitted having beaten his daughter.

Jelena Dokic, 26, born in the former Yugoslavia, migrated to Australia with her family as a child and represented her adopted country at the 2000 Olympics.

Dokic, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2000, renounced her Australian ties in 2001 to move back to Serbia, then decided to compete for Australia again in 2006.