Ryan Thornhill in Taree court for domestic violence stalking ex girlfriend

A Mid-North Coast man sent more than 300 texts and made over 100 calls in one day, at one stage telling his ex: “I’m going to s*** down your neck and feed you to the fish”.

Taree courthouse

A 23-year-old father of two from Taree has been sentenced for making hundreds of terrifying threats to his ex-partner.

Since being remanded in custody on April 10 and awaiting sentence, Ryan Thornhill has been attacked twice by inmates his lawyer told the court.

Thornhill has pleaded guilty to stalk or intimidate with intent to cause fear of physical or mental harm (domestic violence) and contravening a prohibition or restriction in an apprehended domestic violence order.

In a 24-hour period, he sent more than 300 texts and made over 100 calls, at one stage telling his ex, who is also the mother of his two children: “I’m going to s*** down your neck and feed you to the fish”.

At the time of the offending, between April 9 and 10 this year, Thornhill was already on a number of court orders to prevent him from contacting her.

“You had only just been placed on a CCO (community corrections order) a month ago for similar vile threats,” magistrate Alison Hawkins said.

“An AVO didn’t do the job and a CCO didn’t - you were on two sets of court orders and couldn’t obey either of them,” Ms Hawkins said.

Ryan Thornhill. Picture: Facebook.

Ms Hawkins read a number of the threats aloud to the Taree Local Courtroom on May 24 when Thornhill appeared via audio visual link for sentencing.

“I’m going to break all the bones in your body....I will shoot you in the back of the head s***.

“It should feel uncomfortable to have these words read out in a busy courtroom.

“Can you imagine someone saying that to your daughter?”

According to police facts tendered to court he also told the victim: “Don’t give me anymore reason to want to get in the car right now and come f***ing kill you s***” and “I’m going to rip you apart like an animal.”

The sentencing assessment report submitted to the court indicated that Thornhill blamed the victim, Ms Hawkins told the court.

“You continue to blame the actions of the victim - ‘look what she made me do’ - this will not be tolerated.”

Thornhill’s lawyer told Taree court on May 24 that Thornhill was attacked by his cellmate at the Clarence Correctional Centre (new Grafton jail pictured above) and needed stitches above his eye.

Attacked by inmates

Thornhill’s lawyer told the court that since being remanded in custody on April 10 his mental health has deteriorated rapidly and he was held down and punched in the torso by three other inmates and had to be taken to Kempsey hospital.

After this incident he was transferred to Grafton jail where he was assaulted again - requiring stitches to his eye - his lawyer told the court.

For stalk or intimidate with intent to cause fear of physical or mental harm (domestic violence) Thornhill was given 12 months jail, with an eight month non-parole period, backdated to when he was first denied bail on April 10.

He will be eligible for release on December 9 this year.

For contravening a prohibition or restriction in an apprehended domestic violence order he was placed on a two-year community corrections order.