Martin Klaver found guilty of stalking, grooming in Shepparton County Court trial

A 46-year-old Goulburn Valley man stalked and groomed a teenage girl while supplying her with meth and sending her hundreds of messages.

Shepparton man Martin Klaver faced County Court.

A Shepparton man who groomed and stalked a young teenage girl has learnt his fate after he sent her hundreds of messages, many while he was on bail for his crimes.

Martin Klaver, 46, faced trial in the Shepparton County Court on stalking and grooming charges where the jury unequivocally found him guilty of all five charges.

Charges involved stalking the victim, grooming the victim, and supplying the victim with a drug of dependance — namely methamphetamine.

Klaver met the girl when she was 13, and the relationship began in early 2021 when the then-44-year-old met with the girl to give her methamphetamine in return for her performing sexual acts.

In August of that year, the girl told police she was in a relationship with Klaver and he was harassing her by sending daily text messages.

In October he was bailed on the conditions he not stalk or contact any witnesses for the prosecution.

Klaver used Facebook Messenger to contact the girl. Picture: iStock

However, Klaver continued to contact the girl through text messages and on Facebook Messenger, harassing her and attempting to groom her for sex on several occasions in November 2021.

He was again bailed — this time to live in Langwarrin — and ordered to not contact the girl and to not come near the Goulburn Valley.

In the two days following his release on bail, he sent the girl 20 text messages requesting she perform sexual acts so he could listen on the phone, in exchange for drugs.

Five days after his release on bail, he sent a further nine text messages that police said had become aggressive and were threatening.

There were dozens more messages sent in the ensuing days.

In his closing statements, prosecuting barrister Fraser Cameron said Mr Klaver’s statement that he was innocent was a “hot mess” and earlier claims he had made during the trial that other men groomed the victim were merely a “red herring” to mislead the jury.

Defence barrister Con Mylonas had urged the jury to “not become investigators” in his closing arguments.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution, finding Klaver guilty on all charges.

Judge David Brookes commended the jury for their duty on behalf of the community, and said they were “dilligent” in their endeavours.

Judge Brookes remanded Klaver to return to court in February next year.