‘Don’t worry, you’ll be dead soon’: Man’s threats from jail

The man called his former partner 34 times from jail

Maryborough Courthouse. Photo: Valerie Horton/ Fraser Coast Chronicle.

AN INMATE at the Maryborough jail threatened his former partner from behind bars, telling her "don't worry, you'll be dead soon. I'll be out."

The 34-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Maryborough Magistrates Court to one count of contravening a domestic violence order.

The court heard despite a no-contact condition in the order, he added his former partner to his contact list under a false name.

He made 34 calls to her and was able to speak to her and their children.

But during one of the calls, he became abusive, accusing the woman of having a new partner.

He then threatened: "I'll be out soon".

The fake name was uncovered during an audit of the jail's contact lists.

The court heard the man had been sentenced to four years in jail for other crimes.

He had served 90 per cent of his sentence and was due for release soon.

Defence lawyer Michael Riedel said the man had been employed in various industries.

During his time in jail he had completed a number of courses, including drug and alcohol counselling.

Mr Riedel said his client had a difficult upbringing, moved around a lot as a child and was stressed by claims one of his children had cancer.

Those claims turned out to be false.

Now, he did not want to be with his former partner, Mr Riedel said.

"He's moved on he doesn't care if she's re-partnered," he said.

The man was sentenced to three months in jail, wholly suspended with an operational period of 12 months.

The court heard he would be eligible for parole in December.

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