Repeat Gladstone DV offender ‘stood over’ victim’s family

A Gladstone court has heard how a repeat domestic violence offender “stood over” his victim’s family members while yelling before “shaping up” to police officers.

A repeat domestic violence offender has been given a jail sentence in Gladstone Magistrates Court. Generic image.

A repeat domestic violence offender who police say shows “general defiance” of court orders, has been given a jail sentence.

The 30-year-old, who by law cannot be named, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 10 where he pleaded guilty to three counts of contravening a domestic violence order (aggravated offences), contravening a police direction, obstructing police, and breaching bail.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said on April 11, the man came to the attention of police after he was involved in a loud argument at the victim’s residence.

Sergeant Hoskins said the order that was in place prohibited the man from attending that residence, and it also stated that he was not to approach, nor contact, the victim.

Sergeant Hoskins said while the man was at the residence involved in a verbal argument, he “stood over” the victim’s father and her sister and was yelling.

The prosecutor said after police arrived, the man gave them a false name.

The court heard that police tried to “calm things down” at the scene, but the man attempted to push past them and he “shaped up” to officers.

Police had to restrain him.

The court heard the man’s other contraventions of the domestic violence order involved him being found by police at the victim’s residence.

“There’s 10 years worth of assault police, public nuisance-type offending, wilful damage, contraventions of domestic violence... other contravenes,” Sergeant Hoskins said when addressing the man’s four-page criminal history.

“There is a continual pattern of offending here.”

Sergeant Hoskins said the man’s offending was not only affecting the aggrieved but her family as well, and the fact he had given police a false name showed his “general defiance” of court orders.

Defence lawyer Bianca Wieland said the man was remorseful for his behaviour and he was not generally someone who breached orders.

Ms Wieland further said the man had done well when he was supported in the community and he had an employment opportunity available to him upon his release from custody.

Acting Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced the man to three months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 15 months.

She also fined him $250.

Ms Buchanan noted the man had been in pre-sentence custody for 16 days but she did not declare that.

Convictions were recorded.