‘I’ll be hanging your kids on your clothesline’: Vile threat

55 days in custody deemed enough for Jubilee Pocket man who sent threatening message to mother of three

A Jubilee Pocket man threatened a stranger with a knife and sent a vile text message to a mother. Photo: File

A JUBILEE Pocket man threatened to chop a woman's children into pieces and hang them from the clothesline in a vile text message.

Later that day, Isaac Matthew Panochini went to the woman's house with a sledge hammer while only her 16-year-old daughter was home, forcing the teen to make a frightened call to her mum.

Panochini appeared at Proserpine Magistrates Court via videolink from police custody and pleaded guilty to multiple charges including using a carriage service to make a threat to cause serious harm, common assault and wilful damage.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors outlined the 34-year-old man's various crimes to the court.

Sgt Myors said in August Panochini sent the threatening text message to a 35-year-old mother of three, telling her to give a mate his money or "I'll be hanging your kids on your clothesline cut up into pieces".

 

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He then told the woman "we're very close waiting, c---", Sgt Myors said.

The court heard later that day, the mother dropped her 16-year-old daughter at home and then went to McDonald's to get dinner.

Sgt Myors said Panochini armed himself with a claw hammer and sledge hammer, then took a taxi to the woman's house with another man, climbing over a fence and breaking the deadlock of a door.

The woman was not home but her 16-year-old daughter was, and she rang her mother to tell her two men were trying to get into the house.

Police were called but Panochini and his mate left the scene.

Sgt Myors told the court on the same day Panochini egged on a mate as he allegedly punched another man, then helped his mate throw a wheelie bin at the assaulted man's car.

His charges also included an offence from 2017 in Cairns, when he waved a meat cleaver at a drain worker who parked outside Panochini's house.

Sgt Myors said Panochini then chased him with the cleaver, while having a knife in his pants, as he drove away.

The court heard he then yelled "come and get me" while standing in the middle of the street with the cleaver.

Proserpine Magistrates Court.

Sgt Myors told the court Panochini continued to "menace" members of the public.

"On the most recent occasion he's actively encouraged an assault on another person unknown to him …. and then has gone on to threaten another victim, who's a mother, via text message," Sgt Myors said.

"He follows up that threat by attending the victim's home address at 6.30 at night and trying to break into the house, scaring the 16-year-old female who was there at the time."

Lawyer Elizabeth Smith appeared for the father of one, saying he was a qualified concreter and steel fixer and was in full-time work with a construction company.

Since being in custody he had lined up work in Mackay, she said.

Ms Smith said Panochini had trouble with drugs but had drunk a large amount of alcohol when he threatened the man with the meat cleaver and sent the text message to the mum.

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Ms Smith said Panochini knew his behaviour was inappropriate and sent the text messages due to an ongoing beef over a debt his mate was owed.

Ms Smith claimed Panochini was not the main instigator of the crimes and the other man had also been charged.

Panochini had spent 55 days in custody already.

Magistrate James Morton said Panochini had only been in Airlie Beach for a few months, but had already fallen into the wrong crowd.

"Hanging out with this crew has gotten you into trouble straight away," Mr Morton said.

Mr Morton noted Panochini hadn't been before the court for drug matters since 2016 and needed assistance and supervision.

Panochini was sentenced to nine months' jail and was immediately released on parole.

He was also placed on a $500 good behaviour bond for a year.

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