Sydney man pleads not guilty to sending Facebook rape threats

A Sydney man will fight charges he sent rape threats to women who were defending a friend from being "slut shamed" on Facebook.

Zane Alchin, 25, allegedly posted the messages on a Facebook forum about Olivia Melville, a woman who was being ridiculed for her profile on dating app Tinder, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Alchin allegedly said, "your all f---ing basic sluts (sic)", and talked about "the best thing about raping feminists," among other explicit comments, after her friends defended her.

Ms Melville's Tinder profile was captioned, "Type of girl who will suck you dry and then eat some lunch with you," a lyric by hip-hop artist Drake.

Alchin today pleaded not guilty to using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend.

His lawyer indicated Alchin would plead guilty when he first appeared in court in October.

Alchin faces a maximum three years jail if convicted.

Friends of Ms Melville began a Facebook group, Sexual Violence Won't Be Silenced, in response to the forum, which now has more than 10,000 followers.

Group member Paloma Brierley-Newton said the case was a landmark moment for holding people accountable for alleged online sexual harassment.

"Hopefully this case can set a precedent and give the legal system the opportunity to stand up and say, 'this is not okay and you will face the consequences if you harass someone online'," she told Fairfax Media.

The case returns to court on March 1.