Christopher Wardleworth: Maclean builder convicted of domestic violence-related intimidation

A father’s mindset regarding his controlling behaviour has been slammed as “narrow, poisoned and limited” by a fiery North Coast magistrate.

Christopher Wardleworth leaving Maclean Local Court.

A Maclean builder who showed up to his wife’s work, deactivated her phone and “bombarded” her with messages had slammed in court for his “egregious” behaviour.

Christopher Wardleworth, 55, fronted Maclean Local Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to intimidation.

Defence lawyer Daniel Carolan told the court his client was dedicated to his family, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has since talked to a psychiatrist - but a magistrate was scathing in his assessment.

The father’s controlling behaviour began in the morning of October 18 last year.

Wardleworth argued with his partner at home and parked directly behind her car, according to court documents.

The woman had to leave the home to run an errand, but realised “she could not drive” because she had “been parked in”. The man decided the pair were “going to talk”.

She “did not want to stay in the house with her husband because she knew he was angry”, the court was told.

The victim left her handbag and car keys at home because she did not want to “raise any alarms” when she left.

Soon after she arrived at work, Wardleworth’s harassment began.

The father-of-two “bombarded” her with phone texts and calls demanding she return.

He showed up at her work three times in a day – at one point sitting in his car in the office's driveway, the court was told.

Another time he told a staff member they had stolen family members, according to the documents.

Christopher Wardleworth showed up at his partner’s work three times in one day, constituting intimidation.

Wardleworth’s controlling behaviour continued.

He deactivated his wife’s phone somehow and started to send her “a barrage” of messages via email and social media instead.

The woman contacted police and was “distraught and scared”, the documents state.

Police were concerned she was in danger and approved an urgent apprehended violence order.

Officers went to the family home, where they found Wardleworth.

Wardleworth cried and the documents state he exclaimed: “You can’t kick me out of my house.”

He spoke of a “huge problem” with his wife and said he did not understand why his behaviour was intimidating.

Christopher Wardleworth leaving Maclean Local Court.

In court, Mr Carolan said a criminal conviction would hinder Wardleworth’s work as he received government contracts.

However, Magistrate Roger Prowse told the court Wardleworth’s chance of a non-conviction “disappeared” when he showed up at his wife’s work

“By that stage you had persisted, persisted, persisted … and we haven’t even finished yet,” he said.

Mr Prowse said not understanding why going to his wife’s workplace was intimidating indicated Wardleworth’s “thinking was narrow, poisoned and limited”.

The court heard the Maclean man parked his car so as to “trap in” his wife, which was just “the start of” his “egregious behaviour”.

“You had no place to demand anything,” Mr Prowse said.

The magistrate said Wardleworth’s actions were too serious and a conviction could not be avoided due to the “length, depth and breadth” of offending.

Wardleworth was convicted and placed on a 16-month community correction order (CCO).