Rajiv Edward De Young faces Toowoomba District Court for stalking ex-partner

Over an eight-month period, the 28-year-old sent a series of offensive messages to his ex, including faeces. See what the court sent him.

A 28-year-old man who sent a box of faeces to his ex-partner among other stalking activities has been handed a jail sentence.

In what Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie described to the Toowoomba District Court as a “protracted eight months of harassment” in 2021, Rajiv Edward De Young had on 11 separate occasions sent messages of harassment and/or verbal abuse to his ex-girlfriend who had relocated to NSW.

Some of those messages were sent to his girlfriend’s workplace and left her worried he might attend her workplace, she said.

Rajiv Edward De Young leaves Toowoomba Courthouse on August 21, 2023, after being sentenced for stalking.

Four of those acts were committed before the woman took out an apprehended domestic violence order against De Young but seven acts were committed after the order was in place, she said.

Among the “messages”, De Young had arranged to have a box of faeces sent to the victim woman through an online business which provided such a service using horse or cow manure, the court was told.

De Young pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and to possessing a small amount of cannabis and associated utensils that were found when police searched his home on November 17, 2021.

His barrister Jessica Goldie told the court her client had obtained impressive qualifications through aviation training and for a while piloted small jets in the United States.

However, his life spiralled downward when he started using illicit drugs upon his return to Australia leading to the loss of his relationship, his work and accommodation which left him homeless for a time, she said.

He had then struggled with grief after the death of his father which led to this offending, she said.

However, in the 21 months since this, De Young had not reoffended and had taken steps to rehabilitate, was living and working full time in Brisbane and he hoped to obtain work in the mines or overseas, Ms Goldie said.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC noted most of the offending was by use of offensive remarks but on one occasion he had also engaged in the “vile and degrading act of sending faeces to her”.

“The victim, your former partner, became frightened and anxious, that’s not unexpected, indeed it’s likely what you intended to occur,” he said.

Judge Horneman-Wren noted the steps toward rehabilitation De Young had made in the 21 months since the offending and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith to hang over his head for the next 18 months.

Originally published as Rajiv Edward De Young faces Toowoomba District Court for stalking ex-partner