Townsville District Court: Adam Scott Jarvis sentenced for violent stalking, murder threats

A former prison officer and army reservist had a woman fired from her job so she could spend “more time with him” in a disturbing string of stalking offences.

Townsville District Court: Adam Scott Jarvis sentenced for violent stalking, murder threats Picture: iStock

After meeting a woman on a dating app and engaging in a short-lived relationship that broke down, a man inflicted fear on the woman by stalking her by showing up at her home, assaulting her and making threats towards her and her family.

Adam Scott Jarvis appeared in Townsville District Court on Thursday morning after he conducted what a judge labelled as “extraordinarily, despicable” offences on a woman over a six-month period last year.

Crown prosecutor Thomasina Papadimitriou told the court the 48-year-old dated a woman for only a few weeks before they broke up and he became violent and at one point contacted her boss to say she was driving unlicenced, and when she lost her job he told her she now had more time for him.

Despite blocking him on social media the man would email the woman according to the crown who revealed he sent messages threatening to “bury” her and her roommate and said “four heavily diseased junkies would find her and her daughter” and be abused by them.

‘She put chains on her windows’

He messaged her saying her son would get grabbed and sold to “Australia’s most brutal paedophile syndicates” and he threatened to murder every member of her family, the court was told.

“He went to her house on multiple occasions during which he was asked to leave,” Ms Papadimitriou said.

“As a result she put chains up on her windows as she was in fear for her safety.”

The crown said when she screamed at the man, he kicked her in the chest and at other times he went to her mother’s house who had to set up security cameras.

“He told her she had 26 minutes to save her children’s lives,” Ms Papadimitriou said.

“While she was at the police station he continued the threatening messages and he in fact attended her mother’s home.

“This is a case where the relationship was particularly short so it was unlikely she knew him well enough to see any warning signs that he might have behaved in such a manner.”

Defence barrister Kellie Mythen instructed by Legal Aid Queensland said while it was accepted the offences were “serious and “somewhat protracted” there was context to the relationship, claiming it was “characterised by drug use”.

“Their communication only revolved around (the woman) sourcing Jarvis with drugs or the pair smoking drugs together,” Ms Mythen said.

“His usage significantly increased, he became addicted to drugs after meeting and developing a relationship with her.”

She said the man believed the woman was manipulating him after he sold his car to give her money.

‘Extraordinarily appalling, despicable’

Judge Ian Dearden told the court he accepted the context however believed it didn’t excuse or justify it.

“You can be angry at someone, you can be angry they haven’t paid you back, that’s an argument everyone’s probably had with family or friends,” His Honour said.

“That’s here, his behaviour is out here. It’s ‘give me the money or I’ll have you killed or your kids sexually assaulted’ that elevates an ordinary everyday dispute over money.”

The defence lawyer also told the court her client had worked in various industries since moving from South Australia to Queensland which included being a prison officer and army reservist until he was medically discharged for injury.

She also submitted a letter to the court from another ex of the man who talked of the good friendship they had since ending their relationship.

When handing down a sentence His Honour called the offending “absolutely extraordinarily appalling, despicable and disgraceful”.

“When you receive something like that you don’t know if it’s meant seriously or not. It would scare the living daylights out of you.”

Jarvis pleaded guilty to stalking with violence.

He was sentenced to two and a half years jail with an immediate parole release date. His Honour declared the 347 days the man spent in pre-sentence custody as time already served.

Originally published as Townsville District Court: Adam Scott Jarvis sentenced for violent stalking, murder threats