Sunshine Coast police officer in court for alleged domestic violence breach

Just weeks after he was released from jail for DV offending, a Sunshine Coast police officer is back in custody after allegedly sending a threatening text about his ex-wife.

Just weeks after he was released from jail for DV offending, a Sunshine Coast police officer is back in custody after allegedly sending a threatening text about his ex-wife.Â

A police officer based on the Sunshine Coast is back in custody after he allegedly sent a threatening text about his ex-wife just weeks after being released from jail.

The father-of-two, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was denied bail in Maroochydore Magistrates Court for a charge of breaching his domestic violence order.

He was sentenced in early October to six months’ jail, which was suspended after he spent 76 days in custody, for four breaches of a domestic violence order.

The court heard the prior offending involved the man threatening to kill and “bash the f--k” out of his ex-wife.

Defence solicitor Nichale Bool said her client was an alcoholic and was drunk when he is alleged to have committed the new offences.

The court heard allegations the officer sent the text indirectly to his ex-wife via their son, just 15 days after being released from custody.

The text was addressed to his adult son and read, “Hey boys, love you and miss you. Your mum has sold our house, taken my job, my income, killed (the dog) and put me in jail, not a fan, karma will come.”

Ms Bool said the risk of him interfering with the witnesses was low as his son blocked his number so the father had no way of contacting him.

“(The son) had enough courage and enough stance against his dad to notify his mum straight away, notify his brother, his aunty and helped notify police,” she said.

Ms Bool said if released on bail, her client would be remitted into a 90-day rehabilitation program and would have no reason to return to the Sunshine Coast as the sale of his home had been finalised.

The solicitor told the court the text wasn’t necessarily a threat to the ex-wife’s personal safety.

“Karma will come as in she will lose her income, her assets ... he lost his life and she’s going to lose hers evidently, as well,” she told the court.

Police prosecutor Allison Johnstone said cause was not shown as to why the police officer should be released on bail.

Sergeant Johnstone said the evidence against him was strong as there were pictures of the text message, and disagreed with Ms Bool’s submission that the text was not “threatening” in nature.

“If that message had no impact on the family, why then was there such a concern?” she asked.

“Their fear is that this will set off another chain of events that unfortunately they are familiar with.”

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said her concern was the quick turnaround of the officer breaching the order just 15 days after being released from jail.

“He says that his ex-wife put him in jail when he’s the only one who put himself in jail,” Ms Ellis said.

“Doesn't that pose an underlying risk to future offending because he’s not recognising his responsibility?”

Ms Ellis refused bail and remanded the policeman in custody.

It had previously been reported by the Sunshine Coast Daily that he would lose his job due to his prior offending.