Dudley Matthew Waterton in court for assault

A man who kicked his former partner, causing her to fall outside a busy shopping centre before standing over her will be eligible for parole next month.

Dudley Matthew Waterton pleaded guilty to four charges in Hervey Bay Magistrate Court on Thursday.

A man who kicked his ex-partner to the ground and stole a scooter he thought was his son’s was sentenced to jail in Hervey Bay Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, but will be eligible for parole in less than a month.

Dudley Matthew Waterton, 42, appeared via video link and pleaded guilty to four charges including stealing and common assault (domestic violence offence). He was supported by his daughter in the public gallery.

The court heard that on November 20, 2023, at 3.15pm Waterton confronted his former partner while she used the Commonwealth Bank ATM on Central Avenue, Urraween near Stocklands Shopping Centre.

The pair exchanged words as she left the ATM, and Waterton followed her as she walked towards Stocklands, causing her to shout “What are you doing?” at him.

Police prosecutor Sonia Edwards said he responded: “You need to pull up”.

When she turned around he kicked the back of her leg, causing her to fall, the court heard.

“You need to pull up the way you speak to me. Look at what you made me do,” he said to her.

Waterton assaulted his ex-partner near Stocklands Shopping Centre in Urraween.

Sgt Edwards said the disturbances Waterton repeatedly caused had left the victim fearing her safety.

She also had concerns about the stability of her rental, where numerous incidents between the pair had occurred.

The incident was the second of two caused by Waterton at Stockland Shopping Centre, the court was told.

On August 29, at 12:35 pm, he broke the lock of a $700 E-scooter which had been wrapped around a fence.

His first attempt to steal the scooter was interrupted by pedestrians, which caused him to walk away.

Ten minutes later, on his second attempt, he rode off on the scooter.

Through lawyer Melissa Guilfoyle Waterton said the scooter belonged to his son, and he was taking it back.

“He stole the scooter because he thought it was his son’s and in essence, he was stealing it back,” she said.

She told the court Waterton had worked as a concrete labourer in between prison sentences and was an “active parent” to the eight children.

One of the children was now pregnant and wanted the direct support of her father when the baby was born, the court heard.

Magistrate John Milburn described Waterton’s behaviour as “insidious” and told him “you are to blame for the offence”.

Mr Milburn sentenced him to two months imprisonment for stealing, and four months for the common assault.

He ordered Waterton serve a previous suspended sentence of five months concurrent with the other sentences.

Waterton will be eligible for parole on April 7. Convictions were recorded.

More from the Fraser Coast:

Jade Kacey Castle-Broadfoot in court for wilful damage

Stop letting domestic violence offenders back on our streets