Sydney man who allegedly threatened Stan Grant and his family faces court

Michael Davis has been accused of menacing Stan Grant and his family on social media.

A man accused of making online threats against Indigenous ABC journalist Stan Grant has told a Sydney court he lived with anxiety.

Michael Davis, 41, appeared in Fairfield Local Court today charged with four counts of using a carriage service to threaten serious harm and to menace, harass or offend.

His lawyer, Peter Mitchell, told the court his client was "very nervous" and lived with anxiety.

Court documents show Mr Davis is accused of using his Facebook profile to threaten to cause "serious harm by assaulting the victim".

The 41-year-old is also accused of menacing or harassing Mr Grant, his wife and children on Twitter.

Mr Davis' case was adjourned until his next appearance at Downing Centre Local Court in August.

He did not answer questions from journalists outside court.

The 41-year-old will face court again in August.

The alleged threats against Mr Grant, 59, were reported to police on May 23, Mr Davis was arrested at Fairfield Heights the next day.

Earlier this month, Mr Grant said in his weekly column for the ABC he would be stepping away from media commitments.

He wrote that since appearing as a guest on ABC's coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, he had been subjected to intense abuse inspired by "distorted media coverage".

Mr Grant said he had "had enough", and criticised the ABC for not supporting him after being targeted by racial abuse.

"Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or spoken about me. I don't hold any individual responsible, this is an institutional failure," Grant wrote.

The veteran journalist and broadcaster had hosted the current-affairs program Q+A since August last year.

Stan Grant has announced he was stepping away from his media commitments.

In a statement, the ABC last week acknowledged the arrest, saying threats against journalists were an "attack on free media".

ABC News Director, Justin Stevens, said Mr Grant and his family had shown "incredible resilience and courage".

"Toxic public discourse has real-life consequences for people and we in the media, as well as people using social media platforms, need to do all we can to foster a kinder and more constructive public conversation."