Alex McMaster: Cambridge Park man appeals jail sentence for intimation, destroy property

The trigger for a man’s cocaine-fuelled rampage, which saw him unleash a barrage of messages to his ex-partner and threaten to shoot her dog, was witnessing her kiss another man, a court has heard.

The trigger for a man’s cocaine-fuelled rampage, which saw him unleash a barrage of threatening messages to his ex-partner, smash her car and threaten to shoot her dog, was witnessing her kiss another man, a court has heard.

Alex McMaster, of Cambridge Park, appeared before Penrith District Court on Monday to appeal an 18 month jail sentence handed down in the Local Court following pleas of guilty to stalk and intimidate and destroy or damage property.

McMaster appealed the sentence at Penrith District Court.

The 29-year-old man gave evidence he was “upset and angry” when he sent a barrage of 80 to 90 messages to his former partner, which included threats about snapping her dog’s neck and burning her clothes, because he was “frustrated” she hadn’t collected her belongings.

A police fact sheet, tendered to the Local Court for McMaster’s sentencing, revealed some of the messages included: “I will get someone to murder ur dog in front of u u wanna play games let’s play”, “get ur dog if not I’m breaking its neck watch me …” and “ur days are numbered princess … can’t wait u poor little innocent girl at the end of the day nothing will help you”.

The messages came after McMaster arrived at the victim’s home and paced the street, yelling “I am going to shoot you, my mates are going to come and shoot you too…”, according to court documents.

He later damaged the victim’s crossfire trail bike and smashed her car windscreen, the combined damage bill totalling $6000.

McMaster gave evidence he had been drinking and using cocaine since 1pm on Australia Day and couldn’t recall all of his actions.

When asked why he was adamant that his partner get her stuff on that particular night, McMaster said: “I saw her inside kissing some bloke so I wanted it to be over.”

The Cambridge Park man said he “was upset and angry” and “don’t know why I said what I did” but “was very intoxicated” at the time.

He gave evidence he no longer wanted any contact with his ex-partner and wanted to focus on work and his family, particularly his father who has liver cirrhosis.

“My father is very sick. He’s got to have a liver transplant and I’ve only been able to talk to him twice while I’ve been in here because he finds it difficult to stay awake,” McMaster said.

The court also heard McMaster’s mother had made inquiries with the Salvation Army about rehabilitation support.

The crown prosecutor opposed any reduction to McMaster’s sentence

“He was using very derogatory messages to incite fear,” she said. The bike wasn’t severely damaged but It is inexcusable. The damage to the windscreen was some $5000 worth.

“He’s had a combination of firearms and domestic violence matters which sends shivers up spine.”

Judge Sophia Beckett adjourned her decision with reports ordered to provide further information if an intensive corrections order, a jail sentence served in the community, was appropriate.

The matter will return to court in May.