Caroline McDonald: Aged care trainer shared intimate pics of ex-partner

A Coomera aged care trainer charged with distributing intimate images and stalking her ex-partner had “emotionally hit rock bottom”, a court has heard.

A Coomera aged care trainer charged with distributing intimate images and stalking her ex-partner had “emotionally hit rock bottom”, a court has heard.

Single mum of two Caroline Louise McDonald, 53, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday distributing intimate images and several domestic violence offences that took place between April and June.

The charges included burglary and commit indictable offence, unlawful stalking, wilful damage and use of carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.

The court heard McDonald had used a key to enter into her ex-partners home in Logan Central and slashed the tyres of his Holden Cruise on April 30.

The words “c**t” were also painted on the garage door.

She sent harassing text messages to the victim on May 26, June 2, June 4 and June 5 including one that said “Everybody knows what you are, you dirty pedo c**t.”

The victim felt concerned and assumed the defendant was in the area to target his address.

McDonald’s lawyer told the court she had no criminal history of a like nature and the offending happened at a time when her client had “emotionally hit rock bottom”.

She said McDonald had been in a relationship with the complainant for four years before she found out that he had been sending naked pictures of himself to young women.

“Ms McDonald had been raped at a young age and it triggered her to take the offending behaviour,” she said.

“She concedes her actions were downright deplorable.

“Her offending conduct has resulted in deep-rooted trauma from emotional abuse she suffered when she was very young from her mother and poor, negative experiences with past emotional relationships which has, in turn, resulted in very poor decision making and controlling her emotions.”

She told the court McDonald had since done a “significant amount of rehabilitation” attending psychology sessions.

Her lawyer asked for a conviction not to be recorded because McDonald is required to hold a yellow and blue card for her work as a trainer and assessor teaching certificate three in disability, aged care and community care.

She was placed on a three-year good behaviour order with a $1500 recognisance and placed on a three-year probation order. No conviction was recorded.