Shannon Joseph Trapp faces Mackay court for stalking, common assault
A Queensland man on a restraining order choked a woman before threatening to kill her, and release her intimate images if she revealed his heinous acts.
Police & Courts
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A Cannonvale man has learnt his fate for horrific stalking offences after sending threatening texts and assaulting a woman he was previously jailed for menacing.
Shannon Joseph Trapp had just been released for stalking offences on August 22, 2022 when he got back in touch with the woman — despite a restraining order forbidding any contact.
By September 1 the then-35-year old had pinned her to a bed by her throat in reaction to her receiving a text from another man, before threatening her with a spanner, Mackay District Court heard on Tuesday.
This is the second time Trapp has threatened a partner with a weapon, having previously threatened his ex-wife with a baseball bat, the court heard.
Crown prosecutor Farook Anoozer said between October 15 and November 6 Trapp tried to contact the woman more than 150 times, threatening to kill her or release intimate photos should she go to the police.
The court heard Trapp had shown up two times at the woman’s house in Cannonvale, once at 5am, and assaulted her, grabbing her throat and holding a spanner close to her head while making threats on her life.
Trapp pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking with threats of violence and two counts of common assault.
He had been imprisoned since his arrest on November 6 with 520 days of pre-sentence custody.
The court heard Trapp had been married with two daughters, and now has another child from a different woman, until he threatened his now ex-wife with a baseball bat.
Barrister Sheridan Shaw presented a series of attainment certificates for coursed Trapp had completed in prison and said a suspended sentence would have possibly “two years (jail) hanging over his head”.
Yet Judge Vicki Loury said she would not impose a suspended sentence as it would release Trapp without supervision, “which I think is insufficient supervision for this man’s offending”.
The court heard Trapp had grown up with a “loving family” and had a good work history with his own business until a meth addiction led to the breakdown of his company and his marriage.
“You have a very concerning criminal history,” Judge Loury said.
“Your conduct included entering her house when she had told you to leave around 5am, threatening her with a spanner (and) you were effectively removed from the house by her friend.
“Then a week later you argued with her, grabbed her by the throat and threatened to kill her while holding a spanner next to her head.
“She left the apartment and stayed with friends, and then between November 3 and November 6 you contacted her or attempted to contact her on 150 occasions.”
Trapp was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and given parole eligibility, but only 48 days of the 520 days in pre-sentence custody were counted as time served.
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