Serial Gladstone DV offender caught ‘hiding under a sheet’ by police

A serial Central Queensland domestic violence offender has been given a jail sentence after police found him “hiding under a sheet”, with a court hearing it was not the first time he had used hide-and-seek tactics.

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

A serial Central Queensland domestic violence offender tried to go undetected by hiding under a sheet, a court has heard.

The 38-year-old man, who by law cannot be named, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to contravening a domestic violence order (aggravated offence).

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said a condition of the order was the man not come within 100m of the aggrieved woman.

Mr Boyd said on July 5, police found the man “hiding under a sheet” in the back of the woman’s vehicle.

The court heard the man had a four-page criminal history and Mr Boyd said that included seven previous breaches of domestic violence orders.

Mr Boyd said one of those breaches last year was similar to this latest offence, where police found the man hiding in a trailer attached to the woman’s vehicle.

Gladstone Courthouse.

“This is not a serious act of domestic violence but it is a repeat act of domestic violence, and in circumstances where clearly the respondent has failed to accept the opportunities previously given,” Mr Boyd said.

The prosecutor submitted a six-month term of imprisonment was in range.

Solicitor Stephen White said the man intended to leave the Gladstone area and move interstate when this court matter was finalised.

Prior to sentencing, Magistrate Mary Buchanan noted the man’s criminal history was “almost exclusively” DV offending.

She sentenced him to five months’ jail, declared 42 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole eligibility.

A conviction was recorded.