Ernst & Young accountant Kiara Mack sentenced after pleading guilty to stalking, assault charges
A vengeful Ernst & Young accountant sentenced for stalking her ex has been stood down and awaiting a “meeting” with her bosses.
Inner South
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A sobbing accountant who plotted a series of revenge attacks on her ex which included posting intimate photos of him on Instagram has avoided a conviction.
Kiara Mack, 23, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to a 15-month community correction order after pleading guilty to six charges including stalking.
Mack, an Ernst & Young accountant, stalked and menaced her ex-boyfriend after the pair broke up early last year.
The scorned lover spray-painted “cheater” in pink across her victim’s black Volkswagen, the court was told.
Mack then barraged her victim with a series of menacing messages via Facebook.
“Stupid to leave your sister’s car out there to … initiating phase 2,” Mack said.
“I know where you live, I know where you work, I know your footy club, I know your favourite bars, I know the code to your house.”
Mack amped up her anger when the victim changed addresses but refused to tell her where he had moved to.
Mack posted intimate photos of her victim in his underwear on Instagram.
The victim believed the posts were publicly visible, the court heard.
Mack then drove around Prahran looking for her victim’s new house and found her victim’s car.
She found his car on the street and spray-painted “cheater” with a love heart symbol on the vehicle.
Mack later sent the victim four texts.
“Checkmate … XXXX … I’m sorry you do the things you do … no need to chat tomorrow X,” Mack said via SMS.
Mack punched, scratched and struck her victim with her shoe outside his house on July 2 last year.
She then followed up with another menacing text.
“Your life is over I have a book of plans to make sure of it,” Mack said.
Mack was arrested and her mobile phone was seized.
Investigators discovered internet search history on “how to find where people live” and real estate pages for properties on the victim’s street on Mack’s phone.
Mack said the “contact” she had with the victim was “just us arguing” and he got his injuries playing football.
“He plays footy and there is often scratches on him,” Mack said.
Mack, who represented herself at last week’s plea hearing, submitted references and letters including one written by the victim.
Mack, who also pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault, also provided references work colleagues but told the court her employer was unaware of the charges.
Police had raised issues with the “honesty and accuracy” of the material Mack provided to the court but investigations revealed the material was “authentic”.
The court heard $1500 cash was placed in an envelope in the victim’s mailbox which he “assumed” was placed there by Mack.
The victim, who later provided Mack with a character reference, told police he just wanted his ex’s “behaviour to stop”.
Mack told the court she joined Ernst & Young in March last year after two years at KPMG and completing a bachelor of commerce at Deakin Uni.
Mack also said a loss of income after taking three months off work made it difficult to make mortgage payments on an apartment she recently purchased in Armadale.
The jilted lover said she is currently studying to become a chartered accountant and feared a conviction could derail her future plans.
Angeline Centrone, who represented Mack at today’s sentencing, called for her client to be fined without conviction citing her mental health issues at the time of the offending which included going two weeks without showering and attending the police station in her pyjamas.
Ms Centrone said widespread media coverage of Mack’s plea hearing amplified her client’s distress, depression and anxiety.
Ms Centrone said her client was “frightened now” that her career at Ernst & Young was over.
“Following the news related articles she’s been stood down from work and she’s awaiting a meeting with her employers,” Ms Centrone said.
Magistrate Peter Reardon said Mack’s offending was “really obsessive behaviour”.
“It goes well beyond a person’s relationship being finalised,” Magistrate Reardon
“People have to understand that the other person in their life is not owned by them and they are entitled to move on … the contact was unwanted.”
Mack, who sobbed throughout today’s sentencing, was served the order without conviction and fined $1000.
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