Toowoomba man jailed for breaching domestic violence order weeks after being sentenced for similar offending

Just days after copping a probation order for breaching the conditions of a domestic violence order a man was back re-offending, calling and messaging his partner more than 300 times and saving intimate images from her computer as a ‘back up plan’.

A man with a history of domestic violence offending described by a magistrate as “extremely concerning” deluged his partner with more than 300 phone calls and messages in a matter of weeks after being sentenced for similar offending.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on October 5 that the 25-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, appeared in the same court on May 12, 2022 where he was handed an 18 month probation order for breaching the conditions of a domestic violence order, his fourth breach in a matter of years.

Rather than cease contact with his partner, the court was told the man continued to contravene the DVO, making some 150 phone calls and sending about the same amount of messages to the victim in the following weeks.

The man’s terrifying harassment campaign also saw him attend the victim’s property nearly every day for the next two weeks, and on four occasions the victim found him at her property, in breach of the DVO.

The court was told that on May 31, 2022 the man was at the victim’s address and during an altercation physically prevented her from leaving, grabbing her by the shoulders, and holding her by the wrists after she attempted to call police for help.

While at the address the man accessed the victim’s computer and downloaded explicit images of her onto his phone, showing the victim what he had done and told her “I have a back up plan if you put me away”.

After escaping into the back yard of the property the man chased after her before eventually convincing her to go back inside before police arrived.

In court on Wednesday the man pleaded guilty to contravening a domestic violence order, breaching bail conditions and two counts of obstruct police.

The man also pleaded guilty to a number of offences from December 2021 that saw him smash a cash redemption terminal at a Goondiwindi hotel, and call in a threat to another hotel after he was ejected for being too intoxicated that saw some 250 people evacuate the premises.

The man’s solicitor Claire Graham said her client was on parole for unrelated offending at the time of the Goondiwindi incidents, as well as on a probation order for the DV offending.

Ms Graham submitted that her client had been in an off-and-on again relationship with the victim for about five years, but that she and the man’s mother were in court supporting him.

Magistrate Kay Philipson said the victim’s presence was troubling for her, describing his history of contravening domestic violence orders as “extremely concerning”.

The magistrate said their relationship was “toxic” and the man’s actions “exhibited controlling behaviour” which was a real risk factor in a relationship.

The man was jailed for 15 months, and with 170 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time served he was immediately released on parole.

Originally published as Toowoomba man jailed for breaching domestic violence order weeks after being sentenced for similar offending