Brenton Harlock jailed for stalking woman, possessing child abuse material

A mentally-ill man who stalked and terrorised a schoolteacher blamed the offending on a dissociative personality he called “pathological pig”, a Geelong court has heard.

The fictional world of stalker Brenton Harlock spilt into real life when he began surveilling his victim.

A mentally ill man who stalked a southwest Victorian teacher used artificial intelligence (AI) to create a “fictional world” about her, a court has heard.

Brenton Harlock, 56, fronted Geelong Magstrates Court on Friday via videolink from Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat, having previously pleaded guilty to numerous charges related to his stalking of the victim, possessing child abuse material and a serious of other “public order” incidents across offending spanning January 2023 to January 2025.

Magistrate Gerard Bryant convicted the former teacher and sentenced him to six months jail, to be followed by an 18-month community corrections order (CCO).

The court heard Harlock developed an obsessive fixation with a 25-year-old schoolteacher over a number of months.

Harlock’s “relentless stalking” and “obsessive and fixated pursuit” of the victim caused her profound mental and physical distress, the court heard, and “altered her in a severely detrimental way”.

The woman struggled emotionally, to the point she considered quitting teaching, and was left feeling vulnerable and violated, cycling through feelings of anger, hurt, fear and frustration.

She felt her life had been “torn apart” by Harlock, Mr Bryant said.

The court heard Harlock developed a “perverse fantasy world” involving his victim.

His offending involved using AI to create more than 500 images and videos of the victim, some highly sexualised while others depicted her singing or interacting with him.

Harlock posted these images online, claiming to be in a relationship with her.

It was an alternative reality that spilt over into the real world when he began to surveil the victim and the school she worked at in December 2023 leading to his arrest.

The court heard Harlock also harassed staff at a Warrnambool law office, and had a “violent and senseless” altercation with McDonald’s employees.

In January this year he terrorised motorists in another episode of “senseless violence” and was also found to be in possession of 19 images of child abuse material, which Mr Bryant said was “concerning” in the context of his use of AI.

In sentencing Harlock, Mr Bryant took into account the man’s impaired mental functioning, noting he was presenting as “delusional” during some - “if not all” - of his offending.

The court heard numerous reports from various individuals and agencies had been prepared on Harlock’s behalf, including a particularly “detailed and comprehensive” report by Forensicare, which outlined Harlock’s complex mental health issues, trauma and neurodivergence.

Harlock’s diagnoses include autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder and complex-PTSD and, at the age of 48, he was also diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, the court heard, reporting different personalities including: commandant, goodie-two shoes, “pathological pig” and “false god one and two”.

Harlock told a psychologist he believed pathological pig, who he described as controlling, angry and rude, was driving the stalking, the court heard.

The various reports provided context for his offending, Mr Bryant said, but did not excuse or justify it.

Mr Bryant said he was satisfied, based on the material, that Harlock’s moral culpability was “significantly diminished” and described Harlock’s “descent into unmanaged or uncontrolled mental health” as deeply concerning.

He also took into account Harlock’s early plea, relative lack of criminal history and the onerous nature of custody given his conditions, with continued mental health treatment being an important factor in rehabilitation and protection of the community.

Harlock had 124 days reckoned as time served and must register as sex offender for 15 years.

Originally published as Brenton Harlock jailed for stalking woman, possessing child abuse material