The notorious paedophile who abused former Australian of the Year Grace Tame when she was a student will likely be declared unfit to face trial on harassment charges.

Nicolaas Ockert Bester, a former teacher at Hobart private schools, was found guilty of sexually abusing Tame – later named Australian of the Year – when she was his student in 2011.

He was also convicted over child exploitation material in 2016 and in 2022 was accused of three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.

The former teacher allegedly made public posts on social media about and directed at Tame in April, July and August of 2022.

Bester’s deteriorating health, tardy health assessments and the slow-moving court system has delayed the matter for more than three years.

On Monday, the frail 73-year-old returned to Hobart Magistrates Court, arriving and leaving with the help of a walking frame.

Both his lawyers and prosecutors agreed there was insufficient evidence to show Bester was fit to stand trial, and that his health was unlikely to improve.

La Trobe University professor Simon Crowe, enlisted to provide assessments of Bester’s condition, told the court he was previously a “high-functioning individual”.

However, he had suffered at least three strokes, several falls, a brain clot and other issues in recent months.

“Mr Bester has vascular dementia, in my view, as a consequence of the cumulative effect of the … strokes as well as the falls,” Crowe told the court under questioning from prosecutor Ruth Champion.

“The likelihood that he could ever come back from this very profound set of brain-impacting events is very, very low indeed.”

Bester’s lawyer Todd Kovacic said his client was “not really following” proceedings.

Magistrate Andrew McKee deferred the matter to February 24, which he said would be “formalising what I think we all know is going to occur”.

While Bester’s condition means he is unlikely to have to enter pleas or face trial, the matter is still listed to proceed with a further directions hearing listed for April 8.

If the charges are proved beyond reasonable doubt, McKee could still impose punishments, such as restraining orders.

Bester was released from prison in 2013 after serving one year and nine months for grooming and abusing Tame, then 15, while he was a teacher at St Michael’s Collegiate school.

Prior to his 2022 charges, Tame called out Bester’s alleged public and private online harassment on the X social media platform.

“This has been the reality for 12 years now, behind closed doors for my family and me,” Tame said.

Bester, who previously managed The Hutchins School boarding house, also studied for a PhD at the University of Tasmania after his jail term.

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National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

-AAP