Gladstone domestic violence offender’s threats to relative

A Central Queensland man who sent a series of threatening text messages to a relative was on a suspended jail sentence at the time, a court has heard.

A repeat domestic violence offender who sent threatening text messages to a relative has been sentenced in Gladstone Magistrates Court. Generic image.

A Central Queensland man had faced court after he sent a series of threatening text messages to a relative while on a suspended sentence.

The man, who by law cannot be identified, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court this week to charges including two counts of contravening a domestic violence order.

The court heard that the aggrieved in this matter was the man’s brother-in-law.

It was told that on August 3, the man attended the aggrieved’s residence where there was an incident.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said then on August 5, the man sent a series of text messages to the aggrieved, saying: “Watch out, bro. In three months from now I’m coming for you, bro (with a fist emoji).”

Gladstone Courthouse.

The man also said in the messages: “I’ll see you down the track, mate. It’s a promise bro, no s**t.”

The court heard the man later admitted during police questioning that he sent the messages.

“He agreed that the messages could be taken as a threat - he said he would never actually do anything to the victim and he sent the messages as a way of trying to get the victim to stop having issues with another person,” Sgt Hoskins said.

The court heard the man had a five-page criminal history which included previous domestic violence offending, and at the time of committing these offences he was on a suspended sentence for unlike offending.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said the man was remorseful for what he had done.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined the man $700 and she also extended the operational period of the suspended sentence by four months.

Convictions were recorded.