James Damm: 55-year-old southeast Melbourne man granted bail following stalking charges

A Melbourne man allegedly became obsessed with a hotel receptionist, carrying around a printed calendar with her birthday and their “last hug” marked on it.

A hotel receptionist was allegedly stalked and threatened by an obsessed drunk.

A 55-year-old Melbourne man became obsessed with a hotel receptionist, tracking her movements and carrying around a printed calendar with her birthday and their “last hug” marked on it.

James Damm, fro the south eastern suburbs, was granted bail on Monday at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court after being charged with stalking offences.

The court heard in August of this year Damm told the woman it was a “coincidence” he was on the same train as her before he texted her and said he was just “taking the mickey”.

Ten days later he allegedly visited the hotel she worked at and said he wanted to speak to her.

Police will allege Damm said he was planning on leaving notes in her letterbox at her home address, which made the woman “extremely scared”.

Later that evening, the receptionist allegedly left the hotel and saw Damm at the train station before he got on the same train as her.

Police allege she got off the train to catch a connecting bus, but decided to order an Uber so Damm wouldn’t follow her.

Damm allegedly got off the train and waved down a taxi then pointed at the woman in an attempt to follow the vehicle.

Four days later when the woman boarded a bus to work she saw him again when he allegedly approached her from behind and tried to put a folded note into her hand.

The following day Damm allegedly went to the hotel, threatened to go to her house and told her she was going to die.

Police allege he said: “I sat right beside you, how ironic is that? Then f--k me, see what happens, all you had to say was I’m sorry to treat you like a dog … now I’m going to be at your letterbox … see what happens you f---ing c---, you rip that s--t up in front of my face,”

“F---ing die b---h, you’re going to die you f---ing w---e.”

Police were called to the hotel and Damm was arrested.

The court heard he was found to have on him a small piece of paper with the hotel’s number and the woman’s phone number, a calendar with “last hug” written on August 30 and other notes relating to the woman’s birthday and a print out of the Mernda Line with notes of dates and times.

Investigators allegedly searched Damm’s phone records which found he had texted the woman at least 227 times between July 11 and August 8, 2022.

It also allegedly showed 36 calls were made to the woman during the same period.

The court heard the woman when he lived at the hotel she was working at for a year, before he was evicted in late 2020 for being drunk and disruptive by disturbing other patrons.

Damm has served 33 days of pre-sentence detention which is the longest time he’s been sober since he was 12.

Magistrate Costas Kilias said he seemed to be in a “more healthy” condition since the last time he appeared in court on September 1 and believed this was because of the forced detox.

Mr Kilias granted Damm bail with stringent conditions including his exclusion from South Yarra, the Mernda Line and licenced premises.

Damm is also prohibited from drinking alcohol and must abide by a strict curfew.

He will return to court on November 2 for monitoring.