Meth user Newton Robert King, 36, jailed for stalking, assaulting ex-wife

A terrifying ex-husband whose abuse left his ex-wife hospitalised, told police domestic violence orders were “just unrealistic bull***t” that had ruined his life, a court has heard.

A woman was so stressed and scared by her former husband’s protracted and persistent stalking, harassment, intimidation and abuse of her that she ended up in hospital, a court has heard. Picture: istock

A woman was so stressed and scared by her former husband’s protracted and persistent stalking, harassment, intimidation and abuse of her that she ended up in hospital, a court has heard.

Newton Robert King, 36, had been married to his victim for 18 months when it ended in August 2023.

Four months later, he spent two weeks stalking, harassing, intimidating and abusing her.

This week, the details of his offending were revealed in Rockhampton District Court after he pleaded guilty to one count of stalking, harassment, intimidation and abuse, along with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, one of wilful damage and seven of breaching a domestic violence order.

Crown prosecutor Monique Bros-Wilshire said King attended the victim’s residence in the early hours of January 4 while drunk, banging on her door, waking her up and refusing to leave.

She said his ex-wife allowed him to stay but in the morning, she told him to leave for a second time and King became angry, collecting his belongings while screaming at her and taking his belongings to his car.

“She used this opportunity to lock the door so he couldn’t come back in,” Ms Bros-Wilshire said.

However, King ran at the door and kicked it, breaking it off its hinges and the door hit the victim in the face, causing a cut above her eyebrow.

King left and his ex-wife went to the hospital where she had five stitches inserted.

King self-reported the assault to police and he was remanded in the watchhouse for one night before being released on bail.

“He’s then engaged in persistent conduct with the complainant that’s intimidating, harassing and threatening as well as abusive in nature towards her,” Ms Bros-Wilshire said.

She said King called the victim 62 times from his phone, 19 times on a private number and sent her 53 text messages over a 14-day period.

Ms Bros-Wilshire said his ex-wife blocked his number, however he sent her messages via bank transfer and frequently attended her address.

“He stayed most nights despite her making it abundantly clear that she didn’t want him to be there,” she said.

“And on one occasion, he refused to leave and became aggressive when asked to do so.

“He failed to acknowledge that their relationship was over and has continued to pressure her to get back together.

“He’s blamed her for being charged with domestic violence offences and continued to try and pressure her to withdraw her complaints and have the protection order varied to remove the conditions.”

Ms Bros-Wilshire said King also called the victim derogatory names, threatened her and threatened suicide.

“Quite understandably, this conduct has caused her serious mental, emotional and psychological harm,” she said.

“She became fearful of his unpredictability and was stressed and mentally drained from it.”

On one occasion, while at work, his ex-wife was contacted by police after they found King hiding in her bed, claiming he was at the residence to see his dog and do some gardening and fix the door.

He was arrested, charged and granted bail the next day.

King continued contacting the victim, harassing her to attend court and get the protection order changed, blaming her for his charges and sending “very derogatory messages”, according to Ms Bros-Wilshire.

Ms Bros-Wilshire said his ex-wife ultimately did go to court on January 18 after feeling pressured and intimidated.

She said the victim provided a letter to the police prosecutor that she “felt forced to do this as the defendant was hassling her”.

Afterwards, King messaged and called her, saying “please stop hanging up” and that he needs to go to the house to take a shower, but she told him not to come near her.

She attended the police station to lodge a complaint and while there, King continued to ring her.

The victim answered a call in front of police and passed the phone over to an officer.

King hung up as soon as the officer spoke then sent a message: “You’re a dog. The cops are your best friend, you pathetic scum.”

Judge Jeff Clarke said King made several “alarming comments” later that day during a police interview, including that domestic violence orders are “just unrealistic bull***t” that had ruined his life, he was “going to jail for nonsense” and his ex-wife was a “narcissistic manipulator”.

He said King also told police he wanted to work on the relationship with the victim and they were only having “a bit of trouble” and he wanted to go to a marriage counsellor but his ex-wife was not interested.

Judge Clarke said the victim was stressed and scared by King’s offending to the point she was hospitalised.

Defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said King, who moved to Australia from New Zealand with his family when he was aged six or seven, had gained insight into his behaviour while in custody awaiting the sentence.

Mr Ahlstrand said King had accepted the relationship was over.

He said King was now in a new romantic relationship with a woman he had been friends with for the past decade.

Mr Ahlstrand said his client had been diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 18 and had been compliant with his medication until he was 23 when he took himself off his medication, claiming he had never had any symptoms since then.

He said King had used marijuana and that use had progressed to methamphetamines.

Mr Ahlstrand said the defendant’s father died from bowel cancer in 2019 and his older sibling by suicide at 20.

He said King has a younger brother living in Gracemere and his mother was in court in support.

Judge Clarke sentenced King to two years and nine months prison, declared 280 days presentence custody as time served and set a parole release date of November 18, 2024.