Capricornia Correctional Centre prisoner sentenced over breaching DV order

An inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre has breached a domestic violence order more than 30 times, calling a woman multiple times from prison and making threats to kill.

Capricornia Correctional Centre.

An inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre has breached a domestic violence order more than 30 times, calling a woman multiple times from prison and making threats to kill.

The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 16 to 34 counts of contravening a domestic violence order (aggravated offence) and one count of giving false or misleading information.

The court heard 33 of the breaches were phone calls made while the defendant was an inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre between June 13 and July 3, 2022.

One of the breaches was a verbal message sent by another person on April 26.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said some of the breaches involved threats to the victim.

“The last few breaches involve just constant verbal abuse towards the victim, swearing at her and berating her,” Mr Fox said.

“There is some aspect of coercive behaviour and controlling behaviour.

“He went into custody for committing similar types of offences, received a sentence and continued to commit these types of offences.”

Defence lawyer Brendon Selic said at no point did the victim refuse the phone calls.

“She kept on accepting them,” Mr Selic said.

“He has admitted to providing false information to the state in relation to the phone numbers and he has continuously breached that domestic violence order.”

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said it was “stupid behaviour”.

“The phone calls were abusive and threatening,” Ms Beckinsale said.

“That included threats to kill.

“You just need to stop it.”

The defendant, who had a 16-page criminal record, asked Ms Beckinsale, “Do you know how hard it is not to talk to someone you love?”

Ms Beckinsale responded, “The way you talk to her doesn’t sound like you love her”.

“Did you read back what you said?” she asked.

“You don’t say that to someone you love.”

The defendant was sentenced to 12 months prison with immediate parole eligibility and 239 days pre-sentence custody declared as time served.

Criminal convictions were recorded.