Ipswich stalkers named and their evil crimes revealed

A leading domestic violence advocate says the cost of living and Covid are among the factors behind Ipswich’s worrying rise in the number of DV and stalking crimes.

A number of people in the Ipswich region have been found guilty of committing the creepy and unsettling crime of stalking and over the past decade, with Ipswich police charging a record number of people with the crime.

The latest Queensland Police Statistics report 54 people were charged with stalking in 2021, which is up from 40 in 2020, 21 in 2019, 38 in 2018, and 17 charges in 2017.

Since April 2022, 16 people were charged with a stalking offence in Ipswich.

The victims’ age, sex, and relationship with the alleged perpetrators varies, however a number of those convicted with a stalking offence in Queensland committed the act from within a domestic violence setting.

Over the past decade police statistics show the number of domestic violence offenders who have allegedly breached protection orders spikes each year.

During the first four months of 2022, 852 domestic violence protection order (DVPO) breaches alleged occurred across Ipswich, compared to 2246 last year which was up from 2153 in 2020, 1719 in 2019, 1609 in 2018, and 1445 in 2017.

Since April 2022, 16 people were charged with a stalking offence in Ipswich. Picture: Supplied

The Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC) provides support for survivors of domestic and family violence in the Ipswich, Toowoomba, and Western Downs.

DEVAC chief executive officer Amie Carrington said over the past six months their services across the board had experienced an increased demand which can partly contributed to the housing crisis, rise in cost of living, Covid-19, and flooding disasters.

“We have had an increase in people seeking help as well as police referrals,” she said.

“These problems all exasperate issues and stressors within relationships and if the relationships are already unhealthy or unsafe then we also see an increase in domestic violence incidents.”

Ms Carrington said because of the housing crisis, some women feel like they have to choose between staying in an abusive relationship or being homeless.

Ms Carrington said the vast majority of perpetrators are men who target women or children, and their behaviour stems from a number complicated and contributory factors including toxic masculinity, beliefs, and values.

“This is not about ‘men are bad and women are good’,” she said.

“It’s about a society that teaches ideas of toxic masculinity around concepts of identity, and that the perpetrator has a right to own that person, or own that person’s children… and entitlement that they believe they have a right to harm other people.”

Ms Carrington said some perpetrators were initially quite charming and generous and said women should watch out for a patterns of behaviour which can be complex and may include the following: showing up at your work, calling your boss to see where you are, hidden cameras, tracking apps/devices, and creating divisions between you, your friends or family.

“It’s about a pattern of behaviour that’s controlling you, making you lose your sense of identity and independence and even making you feel crazy,” she said.

“We have met incredibly intelligent women in wonderful careers who look back and go ‘wow upon reflection I’m not crazy, I’ve actually been a victim of coercive control and in particular gaslighting’.”

Ms Carrington said the grim trajectory of intimate partner and family violence can be changed but society as a whole needs to work together to stop it, and a good point to start is to think about the women in your life and question if they are in a safe relationship.

“If not, how can you support them to understand what help is available to keep them safe?” She said.

“It’s also important not to judge victims, and calling out when someone is behaving in a way that is gaslighting or stalking… and saying ‘that’s not okay’ and holding people accountable.

“Everyone has the right to be in a healthy and loving relationship, to be treated with respect, and to have safety. It’s about equality, awareness and speaking up.”

Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman speaks during Question Time at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

As a part of major reforms to ensure victims of domestic violence are protected, stronger stalking laws will be presented to the State Cabinet later this year.

The newly formed Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce, which was established to legislate against coercive control, will seek harsher penalties for convicted DV stalkers.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman told The Sunday Mail that more people needed to be charged with stalking to keep the community safe.

“I actually don’t think stalking as an offence is used at all very often in domestic violence settings – and why is that?” Ms Fentiman said.

“That criminal offence (coercive control) will include using invasive surveillance, controlling women’s access to money, controlling where she goes, all of those controlling behaviours.

“We know now perpetrators are so sophisticated with the technology they use so I’m looking at our laws to make sure they’re up to date.”

See the recent offenders who have faced Ipswich court for stalking, including domestic violence offenders:

Alfred Ratokove

- “He also found her on messenger and sent her a message telling her he admired her photos on Facebook.”

A court heard Gatton man Alfred Ratokove stalked a woman he briefly worked with and bombarded her with unwanted attention through Facebook, which often included comments on her appearance.

Police prosecutor sergeant Alister Windsor said the 50-year-old man contacted the woman through her personal and work Facebook pages.

“He asked her who he was speaking to and made comments to her about photographs she appeared in,” sergeant Windsor said.

“He also found her on messenger and sent her a message telling her he admired her photos on Facebook.”

The court heard the stalking began after the woman moved and stopped working at the same company as Ratokove, which led to him tracking her down online.

Sergeant Windsor said in 2009 Ratokove stalked another woman, broke into her home and assaulted her.

At the Gatton Magistrates Court in February 2020, Ratokove pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking and was fined $500.

A year-long restraining order was also imposed.

Ryan John Jackson

- His stalking included threats of self-harm, numerous “drive bys” of her home, and leaving hundreds of messages and calls

A court heard Ipswich region man Ryan John Jackson subjected his ex-partner to a terrifying ordeal after he refused to accept their relationship had ended.

Crown prosecutor Amy Stannard said Jackson’s stalking included threats of self-harm, numerous “drive bys” of her home, and leaving hundreds of messages and calls.

Prosecutor Stannard said Jackson’s behaviour escalated after the woman gave in and agreed to meet up with him, where he later threatened to crash and kill them both while speeding.

The woman jumped out of the car in fear.

In November 2021 at the Ipswich District court, Jackson pleaded guilty to charges which included assault, unlawful stalking, and threats of violence.

Judge Dennis Lynch sentenced Jackson to two years jail and ordered immediate parole as he had spent 288 days in pre-sentence custody which was declared as time served.

Janani Ganesathurai

- She was stalking with violence, threatening to murder, using a carriage service to menace, and assuming the name of an officer with the intent to mislead

A court heard business student Janani Ganesathurai relentlessly and sophisticatedly stalked a man after she matched with him on a dating app in 2021.

The young man’s mother was also stalked by Ganesathurai.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC said Ganesathurai used fake phone numbers, fake emails, and pretended to be a number of authorities including police and the courthouse.

The court heard during the stalking Ganesathurai made threats to murder the man, and hacked his accounts.

Janani Ganesathurai.

“The statements made… were quite despicable,” Judge Horneman-Wren SC said.

Ganesathurai pleaded guilty a number of charges including, stalking with violence, threatening to murder, using a carriage service to menace, and assuming the name of an officer with the intent to mislead.

In May 2021 at the Ipswich District Court, Ganesathurai was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years and granted immediate parole.

The seven months and 25 days Ganesathurai spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

Wayne Kruger

Kruger yelled “I love you” before scaling the woman’s townhouse

An Ipswich court heard 50-year-old Wayne Kruger stalked a woman because God told him he was meant to marry her.

Police prosecutor Ricky Tsoi said on one occasion, Kruger yelled “I love you” before scaling the woman’s townhouse, however he broke into another woman’s home by mistake.

The court heard the Redbank Plains man’s “bizarre” behaviour happened over a two-week period and he also stalked the then 24-year-old woman at her workplace.

In August 2020, Kruger pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking, entering a dwelling and committing an offence.

Magistrate Tracy Mossop sentenced Kruger to an 18-month jail term with immediate release on parole after he spent 159 days in pre-sentence custody.

Terrek Mackinaw

“Unless he gets a grasp of his behaviour, what he’s doing, and the criminal nature of it … he will end up serving a period of time”

A court heard Rosewood man Terrek Mackinaw stalked a woman in the dead of night where he followed her in his car.

In February 2022, Mackinaw pleaded guilty to a number of offences which included unlawful stalking and wilful damage.

The court heard the wilful damage charge was in relation to Mackinaw smashing a different woman’s car’s windscreen.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull said Mackinaw’s behaviour was alarming because the 20-year-old had shown a lack of insight.

“Unless he gets a grasp of his behaviour, what he’s doing, and the criminal nature of it … and the insidious nature of it, he … will end up serving a period of time in custody,” Sergeant Turnbull said.

Acting Magistrate Geoffrey Seaholme sentenced Mackinaw to nine months’ imprisonment with immediate parole.