Joel Michael Bloxom pleads guilty to unlawful stalking with violence

Over seven terrifying days a jilted lover slashed his former partner’s tyres, threatened her grandparents and called her about 500 times. She was so scared she quit her job and her grandparents had to flee their home.

A jilted boyfriend stalked his former girlfriend after their break-up including slashing her car tyres, threatening her grandparents, sending nude photos of her and calling hundreds of times.

His victim, a Sarina teen, was so scared she felt she needed to leave the regional city.

Now the young Mackay man has a lengthy jail term hanging over his head.

Over seven days Joel Michael Bloxom rang his 19-year-old former girlfriend about 500 times from an unknown number.

Mackay District Court heard most of the calls were ignored but during the few she answered, Bloxom threatened her grandparents and her new partner.

Joel Michael Bloxom pleaded guilty in Mackay District Court to unlawful stalking with violence against his former partner.

“(He) told the (victim) he would never stop and that she had f--ked him up so he would f--k her up,” Crown prosecutor Siobhan Harrison said.

The pair had been together for about 12 months. After the break-up, he slashed her car tyres and also her grandmother’s car tyres.

The court heard her grandparents had to flee their home out of fear from his threats.

“He also used (her) Snapchat account to send intimate images of (her) to others,” Ms Harrison said.

The court heard the teen was so scared she quit her job and felt that she needed to leave Mackay as a result of his vile conduct though it is unknown if she did move from the city.

Ms Harrison, who pushed for two-and-a-half years jail, said based on Bloxom’s criminal history, he obviously had an issue with drug use.

Bloxom, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking with violence between July 30 and August 6, 2021 at Sarina.

Defence barrister Joshua Morris, instructed by McKay’s Solicitors, said his client told him it was his first relationship and “he lost it”.

“At the time he was smoking cannabis … and he was also binge drinking,” Mr Morris said.

When Judge Deborah Richards asked why Bloxom had made threats towards the grandmother, Mr Morris said his client “wasn’t really thinking clearly at the time”.

“It’s really one of those times, in my submission, where there’s a combination of immaturity, drug use and emotional hurt as well as potentially some mental health issues that have really spiralled into unacceptable behaviour,” he said.

The court heard he was now seeing a psychiatrist and offered $3000 compensation to the victim, as well as $1295 to pay for the damage, which was his “entire savings”.

Bloxom’s parents, who admitted to having a “rough time” with their son, were in court supporting him.

Mr Morris said Bloxom had been in a relationship since this break-up that had ended and he had “conducted himself appropriately”.

“He does have some insight into his offending,” Mr Morris said, adding his client had entered an early plea and also written a letter apologising to his victim.

Judge Richards said the offending, although over a short period of time, was “pretty serious”.

“And very concerning things happened,” Judge Richards said.

“This girl’s grandmother and grandfather had to evacuate their house they were so scared of your threats.

“She apparently has felt the need to leave Mackay because of the way you behaved.

“I don’t know if she ultimately did or not, it doesn’t really matter. But the fact that she quit her job and felt like she needed to shows how seriously affected she was.”

Bloxom was jailed for two-and-a-half years with immediate parole and was ordered to pay the $4295. A conviction was recorded.