Jailed man used third party to harass sick wife from behind bars
After being jailed for “persistent” and “controlling” contact with his wife who had taken a DV order out against him, a Gympie man continued to contact her through “third party” prison sources.
After being sent back to prison for “persistent harassment and intimidation” of his wife, including phoning her more than 130 times at one point, a Gympie man resorted to “third party” tactics in reaching her while behind bars.
Daniel Jacob Hansen, 35, appeared at Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday from custody, where he had been for 133 days after “persistent harassment and intimidation of (his wife), in spite of court orders, including while he was in custody”, police prosecutor Richard Higham said.
Hansen pleaded guilty to nine counts of contravening a domestic violence order imposed on July 23 this year, attracted after hundreds of attempts to contact his partner by phone and mail.
While on parole for unrelated matters, Hansen was sent back to jail for breaching his DV order, which included two separate occasions where he called his wife 72 times, and “over 130 times”, the court heard.
His wife had been diagnosed with a brain tumour, and several contacts by Hansen were driven by a concern that “maybe she’d suffered a seizure”, the court heard.
Other breaches appeared to stem from “jealousy over the fact that she may have moved on to another relationship”, his solicitor Christie Mahoney said, who acknowledged a “controlling” element to his communication.
The court heard Hansen used “a third party” to forward letters to his wife.
The content of his calls and email ranged from “loving and respectful” to encouraging his “family to withdraw … statements”, the court heard.
“At the time (of the offending) you were going through extreme psychological distress” with the brain tumour diagnosis, magistrate Bevan Hughes told Hansen.
That context was “consistent with your character references which say you are normally a man who diffuses situations and acts responsibly,” Mr Hughes said.
“It still shows no regard for court orders.”
His criminal history was revealed to the court, which included burglary, assaulting police and contravening directions, and drug-related offences.
Mr Hughes granted Hansen 15 months parole, with convictions recorded.
