Woman takes refuge under security camera after Rosslyn Bay meet-up

After meeting at Rosslyn Bay Marina, a woman became concerned about a man’s behaviour and took refuge under a service station security camera.

Rosslyn Bay Harbour, Yeppoon. Generic image.

A woman was so unsettled by a man’s behaviour she took refuge under a service station security camera, a court has heard.

The 35-year-old man, who by law cannot be named, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on November 24 to contravening a domestic violence order.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said on July 18, the defendant and the aggrieved met at Rosslyn Bay Marina for a custody handover with their child.

Ms Brown said the man left the marina in his vehicle and travelled along the Scenic Highway towards Yeppoon and the woman followed.

“The (woman) observed the (man) driving slowly and (she) pulled over momentarily to allow him to get further ahead before she continued driving,” Ms Brown said.

The prosecutor said the woman then saw the man pulled over on the side of the road and she passed him.

Ms Brown said the woman attended a service station on the Scenic Highway as she was unsettled by the man’s driving behaviour and she “wanted to be under a security camera”.

Ms Brown said the man then drove into the service station and parked behind the woman’s vehicle.

“And (he) exited (his vehicle) momentarily before returning to the vehicle and reversing away,” Ms Brown said.

“The (man) drove around the back of the service station and parked at the front of the woman’s vehicle as she recorded him on her mobile phone.”

Ms Brown said the man “waved enthusiastically” at the woman and held his left hand out of the car window “with his middle finger gestured towards her” before driving away.

Police later spoke with the man about the incident and he was charged.

The court heard the man had no prior history of this sort.

Solicitor Cam Schroder said his client had experienced problems with his ex-partner for many years and there was “considerable tension between them”.

“He went through all the steps to go for mediation on the 22nd of February 2017, and she failed to attend,” Mr Schroder said.

Mr Schroder explained his client had then taken further steps, and on August 8, 2019, mediation was proposed but the woman again did not attend.

“He’s done everything he can really to resolve the parenting issues but it’s still a breach of domestic violence order to make that rude gesture,” Mr Schroder said.

Mr Schroder said his client had upcoming appointments to see a doctor and a psychologist in a bid to resolve the issues.

Mr Schroder also tendered a reference to the court from his client’s wife which he said was “just lovely” and documents proving his client’s ex-partner had failed to attend mediation.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale told the man he had to work out another way to express his frustration.

She fined him $250 and no conviction was recorded.