Custody, PTSD and anxiety made me do it: Man withdraws guilty pleas to $1 million-plus fraud
A man who pleaded guilty to defrauding MJH Group of more than $1 million in September has now told of his plans to withdraw those pleas.
Newcastle
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In a bizarre set of events, Mackael Stockhausen who pleaded guilty to defrauding MJH Group of more than $1 million in September has now told of his plans to withdraw those pleas, on the basis he was ‘unwell’ at the time.
Stockhausen entered guilty pleas to 18 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception against his former employer, who he worked for as an administrator between 2016 and 2017.
He was responsible for managing computer software and hardware orders for MJH Group, but stole a large sum of money by paying invoices to a business known as IT Supplies Direct, which was found to be his own company.
At Newcastle Local Court on Monday, dressed in a grey suit with a TAG Heuer watch, Stockhausen surprised the courtroom with his intentions to retract on those guilty pleas, to re-enter a plea of not guilty to all 18 counts.
His solicitor Chris O’Brien informed the court in light of his client’s decision to change his pleas, he would withdraw from the case.
Stockhausen then informed Magistrate Peter Barnett he wanted to proceed with the matter unrepresented.
“The application to traverse the plea has been made on the basis I was unwell at the time and medicated,” he told the court.
“At the time when I provided O’Brien (solicitor) with pleas I was in custody.
“I was experiencing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, borderline personality disorder, intense fear, hyperfixation and making impulsive decisions and not thinking about things clearly.
“I was under potential duress, I was denied correct drugs and medication with 7 months of incarceration.
“I was not able to see a psychiatrist or mental health nurse at that time.”
Stockhausen said that denying his application, would see him unfairly convicted, on the basis he had new evidence to present to the court.
On November 5, Stockhausen was released from jail just six months into his sentence for “relentless” AVO breaches, when his severity appeal was granted and his imprisonment downgraded to an Intensive Corrections Order.
He was convicted after admitting to bombarding his ex-girlfriend with intimidating text messages, stalking her and exposing more than 40 sexually explicit photos of her on social media.
Magistrate Barnett questioned why Stockhausen had waited until this morning to notify his solicitor and the prosecution of his intentions to withdraw the pleas.
“Why did you just approach this, this morning when you were released on the 5th November?” he said.
“All of this should have been done well before today.”
Mr Stockhausen replied, “Getting out of custody, trying to deal with life, dealing with matters I committed, it was an extremely emotional journey.”
While Stockhausen advised the court he was ready to proceed, Magistrate Barnett cautioned him against doing so and adjourned the matter for him to seek legal advice.
He’s set to make that application in two days time.
In September 2017, MJH Group commenced civic proceedings against Stockhausen, which were settled in the NSW Supreme court in August.
They agreed to take more than $200,000 of Stockhausen's assets that were frozen in 2017.