Jess Mathew Leveridge admits to abuse of mother under new coercive control laws
A Queensland man’s four-month campaign of abuse against his mother has resulted in a landmark conviction under revolutionary new laws passed earlier this year.
One of the first men to be charged and sentenced under Queensland’s coercive control laws has faced court for emotionally abusing his mother.
Jess Mathew Leveridge, 39, pleaded guilty at Hervey Bay Magistrates Court to several charges, including that he engaged in a course of conduct of domestic violence and emotional abuse with the intention of coercing his mother.
Leveridge, who has a three-page criminal history, struggled with drug addiction during the offending between May 25 and September 12.
The court heard he was controlling and demanding in his attempts to get money from his mother to support his addiction.
Leveridge, a father-of-three, also pleaded guilty to one charge of unlawfully damaging property.
“The offending was somewhat protracted and ongoing. It was over a period of four months in relation to the coercive control,” police prosecutor, Sergeant Stu Lydford, said.
The court heard that Leveridge had tried to control his mother in a number of ways by threatening to kill himself, telling her she “was no mother”, demanding she pay off his drug debts, damaging a vehicle, and often called her more than 80 times a day.
“(Leveridge indicated) that if he ever went to prison he would disclose her current partner’s address to other prisoners,” Mr Lydford told the court.
It was revealed in court that Leveridge would sometimes switch his behaviour and beg his mother for money and help with his addiction, although ultimately he relied on “derogatory taunts” to coercively control his mother, Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said.
Mr Lydford told the court Leveridge would text his mother saying she would “find him swinging or with his wrists cut”, a reference to the behaviour that caused his mother “emotional anguish”.
Mr Lydford said Leveridge’s mother attempted to put a stop to his behaviour by telling him it was his decision to spend money on other stuff, according to text messages read to the court.
Leveridge’s lawyer, Morgan Harris, told the court his client was “ashamed” he treated his mother “in that fashion”.
He said Leveridge wanted assistance to get off drugs and repair his relationship with his mother.
Leveridge was sentenced on Monday at Hervey Bay Magistrate court to 18 months’ imprisonment, with eligibility for parole starting on February 11, 2026.
Coercive control became a criminal offence in Queensland in May on the basis it underpins many domestic and family violence situations.
Generally, it is defined as a pattern of behaviour that physically or non-physically threatens, controls, hurts, humiliates, isolates, frightens or coerces a victim.
There is no suggestion Leveridge physically threatened his mother.
Leveridge is, according to records, just the second person convicted under the new laws after Meshach Pensio, who was sentenced to two years’ jail for coercively controlling his former partner amid other convicted charges, in August this year.
Coercive control has a “subtle and insidious nature” that makes it “invisible”, except to the victim and the perpetrator, Mr Lydford said, referencing comments from the Cairns case which was mentioned during Thursday’s hearing.
The law only applies to abusive behaviours that have happened since the law came into effect in May, but victims are encouraged to still report coercive violence or abuse experienced before this date as it can still be relevant background information for police.
More Coverage
Originally published as Jess Mathew Leveridge admits to abuse of mother under new coercive control laws
‘What does it have to do with gender? Pollies would be criticised regardless’
