Fraser Coast’s domestic violence offenders of 2023-24 named
Domestic violence is a scourge throughout Queensland and the Fraser Coast is no exception. Here are some of those who have faced court in the last year.
Police & Courts
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Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in all cities, towns and suburbs around Queensland.
The Fraser Coast is no exception to this horrifying phenomenon.
Men, women and children all deserve to feel safe within their households and it is up to the government, the legal system and the community to ensure this happens.
Dudley Matthew Waterton
A man who kicked his ex-partner to the ground was sentenced to jail in Hervey Bay Magistrate’s Court but was eligible for parole less than a month after being sentenced.
Dudley Matthew Waterton, 42, pleaded guilty to four charges including stealing and common assault (domestic violence offence).
The court heard that on November 20, 2023, at 3.15 pm Waterton confronted his former partner while she used the Commonwealth Bank ATM on Central Ave, 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.
Sgt Edwards said the disturbances Waterton repeatedly caused had left the victim fearing for her safety.
She also had concerns about the stability of her rental, where numerous incidents between the pair had occurred.
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 to serve a previous suspended sentence of five months concurrent with the other sentences.
Waterton is eligible for parole on April 7, 2024.
Convictions were recorded.
Harrison William John Quinn
A man narrowly avoided jail after spending a month stalking his ex-girlfriend in Hervey Bay, including leaving photos of them together at her mother’s grave.
Harrison William John Quinn, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and two counts of breaking domestic violence orders in Hervey Bay District Court on Wednesday, November 29.
Quinn, a qualified dive master, and his former partner began a relationship in November 2022 but broke up in February 2023.
Crown prosecutor Katrina Overell said Quinn “cannot let go of a relationship once it ends”.
The court was told that in March, Quinn showed up repeatedly at the same place the victim would be attending.
He showed up at the Scarness cafe where she worked, then walked into a McDonald’s where she was.
On another occasion, he rode past on an e-scooter as she walked out of a venue for a trivia night and shouted “of course she is with another man”.
The court was told Quinn also left objects including pictures of himself and his ex together at the gravesite of her mother.
The victim had not told Quinn the location of the burial site and it was unmarked.
Judge Nicholas Andreatidis said there were “no exceptional circumstances for (his) reckless and dangerous behaviour”.
He placed Quinn on 18 months probation and ordered that he undertake psychological treatment.
Convictions were recorded.
Darlene Elizabeth Shanks
A Hervey woman who stole $130,000 from a disabled veteran while she was his carer told him she didn’t care and that he was a ‘greedy man’ when her fraud was finally exposed.
Darlene Elizabeth Shanks, 52, of Urraween, pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud of a value of $100,000 (domestic violence offence) in Hervey Bay District in November.
After her mother died in early 2019, Shanks became the sole carer of the victim, her mum’s husband of 38 years and Shanks’ stepfather.
Shortly after becoming carer for which she was paid $848 from Centrelink, she moved in with the victim along with two of her nine children.
In addition to the Centrelink money, the victim gave Shanks $200 every fortnight.
To further accommodate them, the victim sold his property in Point Vernon to move into a bigger house with Shanks and her family, the court was told.
As his carer, Shanks had exclusive access to his bank accounts, including his online accounts which he did not know how to operate.
As well as his pension the court heard the victim received $100,000 compensation from the Australian Defence Force fund.
With control of his bank accounts and credit cards over two and half years she emptied the victims’ bank accounts in 351 fraudulent transactions.
The most severe case saw the victims’ Commonwealth Bank account once containing $100,000 emptied to the point it was overdrawn by $100.
It was only in December 2021 when the victim and his biological son found out about Shanks’ scheme her spending spree came to an end.
Before contacting the police, the victim’s biological son called Shanks about it to which she responded “I know you know, I do not care, it has gone to people more deserving than a greedy man.’’
‘In the future, if you want to f--k somebody over you have to be smarter about it,’’ she told him.
She was arrested and charged in December 2021.
Crown Prosecutor Katrina Overell said: “For two and half years she breached the trust of a vulnerable person in our community.”
Judge Nicholas Andreatidis sentenced Shanks to five years imprisonment, of which she must serve at least 18 months before she is eligible for parole.
Convictions were recorded.
Jason Smolenaars
A Torquay man who digitally raped a woman when she rejected his drunken demands for sex was released on parole in October 2023.
Jason Smolenaars, 53, pleaded guilty to rape in Hervey Bay District Court on Monday morning.
The court heard at 9.15 pm on December 22, 2021, Smolenaars went to a Point Vernon property after work and started drinking in the garage.
He became heavily intoxicated and later said to the woman, “I want sex” to which she replied, “no, you are drunk”.
The court was told Smolenaars then forcefully digitally penetrated her for more than a minute, during which she shouted “stop it” repeatedly.
When she got him off her she shouted “do not ever do that again”, slapped him across the face and fled.
The woman made a formal complaint in May 2022, and Smolenaars was arrested shortly after.
The court heard before sentencing, he had served 194 days in custody.
Judge William Everson sentenced Smolenaars to two years in jail with a parole release date of October 16, 2023.
Convictions were recorded.
James Anthony Waters
A Tinana man who assaulted his ex-partner, leaving her bleeding from her head, has been sentenced.
James Anthony Waters, 58, pleaded guilty in Maryborough District Court in September last year to assault causing bodily harm.
The court heard on April 1, 2023, Waters brutally assaulted his partner of six years after an argument started over him falsely accusing her of “being with others”.
Crown Prosecutor Christopher Cook told the court the victim slapped Waters after he called her a “s--t” to which he responded by grabbing a 1x2m piece of wood and hitting her repeatedly before “clubbing” her with a coffee mug.
Judge Michael Byrne said Waters’ behaviour was “frankly terrible” and he was “the provocateur in every sense of the word”.
He sentenced Waters to two years in jail of which he must serve at least eight months before being eligible for parole.
Scott Robert Britton
A mixed martial artist who threatened to light his ex-partner on fire was paroled a month after sentencing in September.
Scott Robert Britton, 47, pleaded guilty in Maryborough District Court to six charges including assault causing bodily harm, entering premises and committing indictable offence, threats and common assault.
The court heard that on January 14, 2023, Britton in a “terrifying” fit of anger poured petrol on the floor of the garage he and the victim were residing in and threatened to light it on fire.
Only moments after this occurred, the former martial arts instructor held a sword up against the victim’s neck.
The court heard the assault occasioning bodily harm charge related to an incident on July 1, 2022, where Britton pushed the same victim over and threatened to slam a brick over her head, only to be stopped by his mother who was with them.
Judge Michael Byrne said “domestic violence is a complete blight on our society” and “people who do it need to be punished”.
Describing Britton’s behaviour as “violent” and “dangerous” he sentenced him to three years imprisonment with a parole eligibility set for October.
Convictions were recorded.
Blake Travis Shane Trenaman
A Pialba man who sent more than 100 abusive voicemail messages to a woman and damaged her car avoided jail time in September.
Blake Travis Shane Trenaman, 32, pleaded guilty to charges including wilful damage and assault at Hervey Bay District Court on Friday, September 8.
The court heard that on August 22, an incident at the property where the victim lived resulted in the air vents in her car being damaged by Trenaman.
From August 31 to December 9, 2022, he then sent more than 100 abusive voicemail messages to her and made 25 calls using a private number, the court heard.
Trenaman was arrested by police and taken into custody on January 20, 2023.
He had also left an earlier threatening voice message in which he called the victim a “dog” and said “going to the police would be a bad idea,” the court was told.
Trenaman’s defence lawyer Tristian Carlos said his client had issues regulating emotion and a fragile personality which resulted from multiple incidents that had left him with brain damage.
He was sentenced to one-month imprisonment for the assault and two months for the wilful assault but was paroled immediately.
Convictions were recorded.
Bradley Thomas Hilton
A Fraser Coast footy player, sentenced for the violent attack of his former partner, claims a comment about his stillborn child’s ashes was partly to blame for the fight.
Supported by his family in Hervey Bay District Court, Maryborough Wallaroos player Bradley Thomas Hilton, 24, pleaded guilty to five charges including strangulation and wilful damage.
The court heard on September 15, 2022, Hilton had told the woman, with whom he shares a child, that he wanted to end their relationship.
This escalated into him calling her a “maggot” and spraying a can of deodorant at her face.
Hilton then pushed the victim, causing her to fall over and hit her elbow on a table, the court heard.
The victim then threw a remote at Hilton who reacted by wrapping his hand around her throat.
He then left the property but not before damaging a fence on his way out.
The victim then locked herself in a bedroom and called triple-0.
Hilton’s barrister told the court some of his client’s anger had been caused by the victim allegedly telling him to “pick up his stillborn daughter’s ashes (from a previous relationship) and leave”.
The victim, through a written statement, said she felt “immediate pain” during the strangulation and “does not know how long it lasted”.
The court heard despite the incident she believed “Hilton has (their) child’s best interest at heart”.
In his closing statements Judge Glen Cash said while he accepted Hilton’s “preparedness to accept responsibility” for the incident, “the court needed to denounce” his actions.
He sentenced Hilton to a total of two years in jail but wholly suspended it.
Craig Donald Cameron
A father of two made vile threats against his partner while he physically assaulted her, including telling her he would let his friends “rape her”.
Craig Donald Cameron, 42, pleaded guilty to choking, assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and three counts of threatening violence when he faced Maryborough District Court.
The court heard on April 13, 2020, an argument began between Cameron and his partner.
He grabbed the side of the woman’s head by her hair and pulled her down on the mattress, it was told.
She was lying on her back on the mattress with Cameron on top of her, the court heard, when he punched her in the mouth and breast, causing bruising.
He then threatened to kill her and her family.
Cameron then told her he was going to strangle her, and she tried to tuck her chin towards her chest, the court heard.
He put his hands around her neck and squeezed.
She estimated he held her by the throat for 10-15 seconds.
He then loosened his grip, got off her and started smashing her belongings, including an iPad, computer monitors and a laptop.
He then grabbed her by the shirt and told her he was going to get a knife and she’d better hope the police didn’t come or he was going to stab her a thousand times, the court was told.
It heard she was terrified and begged him not to hurt her.
Cameron then told the woman they were going to go to his car, and he would take her to his friend’s where she would be raped and sodomised.
Cameron was sentenced to two and a half years in prison with a parole release date of July 23, 2023, with the time he had spent in custody declared as time served.
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