Michael Aaron Duncan: Man sentenced in Warwick court over abusive online attacks

‘F —k off, you stupid sl-t’: A dad of two who launched a tirade of abuse at a Warwick real estate agency employee through emails and social media posts has blamed an ‘unfavourable’ condition report for his offending. FULL REPORT:

A man who unleashed a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse on a Warwick real estate agency employee and publicly humiliated her on social media has copped a hefty fine in court.

Michael Aaron Duncan first targeted the woman on February 28, 2019, after she had forwarded him a condition report highlighting several issues with a Womina property he was renting at the time.

Police prosecutor Andrew Grafton told Warwick Magistrates Court that Duncan fired back an abusive response, saying “How about you f —k off” and “You can go suck your dad’s f —king c —k”.

It was just days later on March 1 that Duncan escalated his online onslaught, this time taking a photo of the woman from her employer’s website and posting it to his own Facebook page with a caption calling her a “racist piece of s —t” and saying “I hope someone jumps on her head”.

Duncan then labelled the woman a “putrid dog” in response to another person’s comment.

The father of two then targeted his victim a third time on March 14, sending her another email riddled with abuse, including “f —k off, you stupid sl-t” and “suck your dad’s c —k”.

This third online attack resulted in Duncan being charged the next day.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman told the Warwick court his client was a FIFO boilermaker by trade and often worked interstate, which was why it had taken several years for the offences to be brought before the courts.

“It was only with this real estate agent that issues started to arise, and he has a great rental history otherwise, but he knows his behaviour was unacceptable,” Mr Chapman said.

“While it’s unfortunate conduct, especially this business with the Facebook post, it’s behind him now.”

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess slammed Duncan’s “absolutely appalling” conduct, agreeing the Facebook post was the most serious of his offending as it invited any number of his friends and followers to “pile on”.

“(It’s) clearly abusive, clearly offensive to somebody just doing their job. Not in any way is this an acceptable way to deal with a tenancy dispute,” she said.

“You might disagree with it, you’re entitled to disagree with it, but you’re not entitled to this disgusting behaviour.”

Duncan pleaded guilty to three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence.

He was fined $1500 and must serve 15 days’ jail if he fails to pay within six months.