Kenan Dustin Charles Roberts pleaded guilty to stalking

A 20-year-old stalked his ex partner before stealing her phone and then later crawled through a window, armed, after police left her home.

Kenan Dustin Charles Roberts.

A man who stalked his former partner, taking her phone and headbutting her in the face before later breaking into her home with a knife has been sentenced in court.

Kenan Dustin Charles Roberts, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of entering a dwelling with intent by break at night – uses or threatens violence while armed and one count of unlawful stalking, intimidation, harassing or abuse when he faced Hervey Bay District Court on Wednesday.

The court was told Roberts was in a relationship with the woman for about six to 10 months prior to the offending.

The offences were committed in April, the court was told.

They involved Roberts approaching the woman while she was with her daughter who was in a pram.

He told her he loved her and if she wouldn’t be with him, he would kill himself.

When she tried to walk away, he grabbed the pram with his hand and took her mobile phone before headbutting her to try to make her stop screaming.

A person nearby contacted emergency services and Roberts ran from the scene.

In a second incident, the woman was in her bed at a Pialba home when Roberts approached a window holding a knife.

He tapped on the window and apologised for taking the phone, the court heard.

She told him he did not want to be with, the court heard, and he told her he would kill himself.

The woman said she would speak to him if he left her phone at the front door.

He left the mobile phone and she used the phone to ask a friend to phone emergency services.

Police arrived and Roberts ran from the address, the court was told.

When police left the residence, Roberts returned and kicked the flyscreen on the window, causing it to tear.

He then crawled through the window, still holding the kitchen knife.

Roberts told the woman: “I will kill you and I will stab you nine times”.

Kenan Dustin Charles Roberts.

He asked if there was anyone else in the house and left the bedroom to walk through, at which time the woman contacted police, who arrived soon after.

Roberts remained hiding in the bedroom before he crawled back out the window and ran past police.

After he left the woman went to her aunt’s address, but Roberts later turned up there as well and he approached her, telling her again he would kill himself.

Police were contacted but Roberts ran again and was not apprehended.

Later that day, the woman was at Woolworths and as she was walking he ran towards her and told her he wanted to go with her.

Police were contacted and he again ran away.

Roberts called her later that night, again telling her he was going to kill himself, the court heard.

She went to him and he again took her phone, but she stayed with him for a number of hours out of concern for his welfare before police became involved in the morning, the court heard, and he was apprehended.

His behaviour had left a lasting impact on the woman, the court was told.

In Roberts’ defence, the court heard he had come from a dysfunctional family background and he had only met his father on three occasions.

He had been raised by his grandmother and grandfather, the court heard.

Roberts had been a drug user, taking ice, the court was told.

The woman had been a good influence on him and was helping to turn his life around, but he had fallen back into addiction, the court was told.

The man was hopeful of living with his mother and finding a job in the mines, the court was told.

He had obtained a white card since he had been in custody and he had been told he could not take drugs or alcohol while working at the mines as he would be tested frequently.

He felt shame and remorse for his behaviour, the court was told.

Judge Brad Farr said the offending occurred over a period of three days in which he had approached the woman on numerous occasions at numerous places.

He said Roberts’ conduct was serious and constituted domestic violence.

Judge Farr said while he had been told Roberts had a drug problem and was using ice at the time of offending, that did not provide him with any excuse for his actions.

He said he had been told Roberts was remorseful for what he had done and that he had ruined the opportunity he’d had to have a relationship with the woman.

Judge Farr said Roberts intention to make something of himself was commendable and he hoped that he did it.

“Of course it’s one thing to sit there while you are facing sentence, it’s quite another to do it,” he said.

Roberts was given a head sentence of two years in prison and had spent 118 days in presentence custody, which was declared as time served.

A parole release date was set for December 4, 2024.

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