Darby Gilmore: South Grafton man sentenced for sending threatening Snapchat messages to woman

A northern NSW tradie has faced court after berating his ex with calls and sinister Snapchat messages. Here’s what happened.

Grafton Local Court. Picture: Adam Hourigan.

A Clarence Valley tradie has faced court after threatening his ex over the app Snapchat, telling her: “I’ll kill you if you’re seeing anyone and I’ll kill them too.”

South Grafton man Darby Lee Gilmore, 22, fronted Grafton Local Court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to stalking or intimidation with the intention of causing mental or physical harm, after he “excessively contacted” his ex-fiance.

Darby Gilmore leaving Grafton Local Court.

Gilmore was engaged to the woman for around one year before they called things quits in February, court documents state.

Gilmore moved out, but would show up to the house and demand to know “where she had been and who she had been talking to”.

It escalated on May 6 and 7 when Gilmore sent the chilling Snapchat messages.

Gilmore wrote: I will set that f--king car on fire that I brought for you” and sent the messages about killing the woman or anyone she dated, the documents state.

He also made a “barrage” of phone calls to the victim on May 7 – about 14 calls over 10 hours, the court heard.

Darby Gilmore outside the court.

Defence lawyer Madeleine Gallaghert told the court Gilmore was supported in court by his father, entered a plea of guilty at the earliest available opportunity and was remorseful.

She said: “The number of messages and phone calls would have been terrifying for the victim.”

However, Ms Gallaghert said her client had been deemed to be at a low-risk of reoffending.

Magistrate Juliana Crofts said even though the threats were concerning, she believed the offending behaviour was “out of character”.

Ms Crofts convicted Gilmore and sentenced him to a 12-month community corrections order.