Macleay Island man in court for threatening to rape his friend’s wife

A Macleay Island man has been jailed after his sick threat to assault his friend’s wife and make him watch.

A Macleay Island man has been sentenced to jail time after threatening to sexually assault his friend’s wife and make him watch.

Steven John Elder, 41, pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday (August 25) to one count of using a carriage service to menace or harass and one count of wilful damage.

The court heard he used his phone to send harmful threats to a friend between May 24 and May 27 at Macleay Island.

“Nobody will work there because I’m going to burn the f**ing place down,” Crown prosecutor Emily Ollenburg said.

“Saying that (he) would rape the victims wife and make him watch,

“Saying I will kill you.”

Steven John Elder faced court on August 25.

On June 9, Elder was held in the watch house at the Cleveland police station where he destroyed police property, the court heard.

“He was violent and aggressive and headbutting the perspex of the wall,” Ms Ollenburg said.

“Stuffing toilet paper and his blanket into the bowl of the toilet.

“The cell had to be professionally cleaned before it could be used.”

His lawyer, Kate Jamieson, said her client was under the influence of alcohol during a lot of the offending.

“Some of his behaviour is quite bizarre,” Ms Jamieson said.

“He said he could not recall what he said as he was drunk.

“He said he feels terrible about it.”

Elder said he plans on changing his behaviour.

“It makes me sick, what I do,” he said.

“I really do have a problem.”

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said she held no sympathy for him.

“You‘re going to behave like an animal, then we will treat you like an animal,” Ms Vasta said.

“My sympathy dries up for you.”

He received a head sentence of 18 months imprisonment, with a parole release date on October 9 this year.

He will remain on a $500 bond for three years.

Convictions were recorded.