David Hugh Gardner stalked woman at Calliope fuel station

A stranger who took a liking to a woman and her car at a fuel station said he would “like to ride you both” before going on to stalk her in a frightening ordeal.

David Hugh Gardner was sentenced in Gladstone Magistrates Court on March 19.

A stranger who stalked a woman at a Central Queensland fuel station after saying sexually inappropriate things to her has been sentenced.

David Hugh Gardner, 59, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on March 19 to unlawful stalking.

The court heard that on July 28, 2022, Gardner was at the then Puma Service Station at Calliope when he targeted a 53-year-old female driver.

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said the woman had her window down and Gardner said to her: “It’s a beautiful car and you’re not bad for someone your age, I’d like to ride you both.”

David Hugh Gardner.

Mr Boyd said the woman became scared and Gardner continued to say sexually inappropriate things to her before he got in his car, “did a loop” and parked it next to hers.

The prosecutor said the woman called her husband and kept him on the phone while she drove home to Gladstone because she feared Gardner would follow her.

Mr Boyd said the woman was “quite intimidated in the whole ordeal.”

The court heard that Gardner had an interstate history which consisted mainly of traffic offences.

Solicitor Rio Ramos said on the day of the incident, Gardner was taken by ambulance to a mental health unit at Rockhampton and he was an in-patient there for three weeks before being discharged.

“He was treated... he’s no longer on that treatment authority and he currently takes medication for his mental health,” Ms Ramos said.

The court heard that Gardner had previously had issues with alcohol and substance abuse and he was currently receiving a disability pension.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined Gardner $800 and a conviction was recorded.