Christine Joy Gorell sentenced for stalking neighbour

A Mooloolaba stalker who threatened to kill her 80-year-old neighbour during a “relentless campaign of fear” has faced court.

A Mooloolaba stalker whose goal was to make her 80-year-old neighbour “snap” during a relentless campaign of fear” has avoided jail time.

Christine Joy Gorell was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Monday after she pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to five charges including stalking between February 1, 2020 and November 9, 2021.

The court heard Gorell threw a daily barrage of abuse at the 81-year-old neighbour over the 20-month period telling her she was going to push her until she “snapped”.

Police prosecutor Mark Burrell said Gorell, 61, would stand outside the woman’s unit and hurl threats and abuse including calling the woman a c--t and a b---h.

“I hope you fall over and break your hip,” Senior Constable Burrell read from the facts.

“I want you dead.

“Why don’t you just die so a younger person can get your unit.”

On November 8, 2020 the woman was taken to hospital in an ambulance after Gorell started slamming doors and banging on the woman’s unit wall while yelling “I hope you f---ing die”.

The woman became frightened to leave her unit and made multiple complaints to the Department of Housing that prompted Gorell to threaten to kill her.

“I’m going to come back and kill you if I get evicted,” Gorell yelled.

“Don't think I won’t come back and kill you.”

Christine Joy Gorell was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Monday after she pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to five charges including stalking. Picture: Sunshine Coast Daily.

The victim’s carer was trying to calm Gorell down on September 15, 2020 when the 61-year-old threw a chair and a shovel at the victim's unit.

On October 20, 2020 Gorell pulled the victim's plants from her garden and threw them at her backdoor saying “I hope you fall over these plants and break your f---ing neck”.

Constable Burrell said actual time behind bars was appropriate for Gorell’s “prolonged and sustained” offending against an elderly woman in her own home.

“It was an extended period of time this complainant was effectively terrorised by the defendant,” he said.

He asked for a 12 to 15-month prison sentence with Gorell to serve one-third.

The court heard Gorell had a history of drunken offences and breached bail three times by blowing higher than her alcohol limit.

Solicitor Chelsea Emery asked for a 12 to 15-month prison sentence to be suspended or coupled with an immediate parole release date.

Ms Emery said Gorell’s family described her as having a longstanding alcohol problem.

She said the 61-year-old had a mild cognitive impairment and had been receiving a high level of care while on a disability pension for the past 30 years.

Ms Emery said Gorell felt she was being judged in relation to her alcohol consumption while at the unit complex but was remorseful for her behaviour.

She said Gorell had already suffered homelessness since the offending and had entered an early plea of guilty.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist asked if Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre could assist with her homelessness.

Ms Emery said she Gorell was working towards getting back on track.

She noted there was only one instance where Gorell made a direct threat to kill and said she was a very physically frail and unhealthy lady.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said the victim would have suffered a profound misery because of Gorell’s behaviour.

“(Your) … actions really amount to what was a relentless campaign of fear threats made to an elderly victim,” he said.

Mr Stjernqvist set an immediate parole release date.