Peter Darren Ivancic, 58, sentenced after pleading guilty to prosecutor death threats

A Housing Trust tenant who sent death threats to a prosecutor, as well as more than 1000 “extremely vulgar” emails to SA Housing staff, has been sentenced.

A Housing Trust tenant with anger management issues sent more than 1000 abusive and “vulgar” emails to four victims – one of whom was a state prosecutor, a court has heard.

Peter Darren Ivancic, 58, appeared in the District Court on Wednesday in front of Judge Michael Durrant for sentencing after pleading guilty to four counts of using a carriage service in a harassing or offensive manner.

Judge Durrant spared Ivancic jail time, but emphasised the need for government employees to be able to “go about their work safely and free from harassment or threat”.

“This is serious, persistent and prolonged offending,” he said.

“That correspondence was, again, extremely vulgar and derogatory, and included threats to the job and safety of that prosecutor.

“As reflected in this offending, you have difficulty regulating your frustration and anger, and directed that at SA Housing employees.”

Ivancic was ordered out of his Housing Trust property after he sent a series of emails to the SA Housing Authority (SAHA) that were “aggressive, offensive, obscene and intimidatory”.

In January this year, Ivancic was rearrested and charged with one count of threatening an injury in order to influence the performance of public duties, after he sent death-threat emails to a prosecutor just weeks before his trial.

Peter Ivancic appeared in the District Court on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

In documents released to The Advertiser by the court, police alleged the offence occurred between December 30 last year and January 6 this year.

They alleged Ivancic “threatened a physical injury to a person” with “the intention of influencing the manner in which” they “discharged or performed their official duty”.

They said a courts registry staff member showed the emails to a court Sheriff’s Officer who then informed police, sparking an investigation and Ivancic’s subsequent arrest.

On Tuesday, the court heard Ivancic had previous convictions from 1993 and 2008 that were of “similar conduct”.

“You have a history of prior offending in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia,” Judge Durrant said.

Ivancic was sentenced to one year, five months and 19 days imprisonment – suspended upon entering into a one-year good behaviour bond.

Originally published as Peter Darren Ivancic, 58, sentenced after pleading guilty to prosecutor death threats