Gold Coast region stalkers named and shamed for their disturbing crimes

More people than ever are being sentenced in Queensland courts for stalking. Here are the names and crimes of stalkers who have fronted Gold Coast court.

More people than ever are being sentenced in Queensland courts for stalking, according to recent data.

In 2020, Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council research revealed the number of stalking cases had surged by almost 50 per cent since 2005.

Stalking crimes are on the rise, according to new data.

The council’s Sentencing Spotlight on Stalking report examined sentencing outcomes data between July 2005 and June 2019, including a total of 1698 cases sentenced where stalking was the most serious offence heard at the sentencing event.

Council chair John Robertson said stalking was a serious crime.

“It’s that unwanted attention that frightens someone, causes them mental harm, makes them believe they or their property are in danger, or prevents them from going freely about their daily life,” he said.

“Stalking can take on many different shapes and forms including following, loitering near, watching or approaching a person; contacting a person in any way, including by phone, mail, email or through the use of any technology; leaving an offensive item where it will be found by, or given to a person; and threatening or committing acts of violence against them or their property.

Queensland’s oldest stalker was convicted at age 81 – and the youngest just 13.

“In Queensland, the maximum penalty for stalking is five years’ imprisonment but if there are aggravating circumstances — like using or intentionally threatening violence — that can increase to seven years’ imprisonment.”

The research found the most common penalty for stalking during the relevant period was imprisonment.

It was revealed 31 per cent of offenders received an unsuspended sentence, with the average sentence length being 1.4 years jail.

The oldest person sentenced for stalking in the state was 81 and the youngest was 13.

Mr Robertson said the the typical stalking offender was a male in his 30s.

Here are four Gold Coast stalkers and their shocking crimes:

Thomas Douglas Ferry

Thomas Ferry leaves Southport court.

A man who terrorised his former partner for more than two years walked free from court last year, despite him pleading guilty to a barrage of torment and stalking.

Over the course of 28 months, Thomas Douglas Ferry, 75, sent hundreds of emails from 14 different accounts to the woman, her employers, current and former partners, family and friends.

He used a photo on Facebook to track down where she lived; left her old reading glasses on her car parked at a shopping centre; contacted a real estate agent when she placed her home on the market; and sent a warning to a friend who was selling the woman’s car.

The woman says she only had the house and car on the market to stop him from stalking her.

In the Southport Magistrates Court in May last year, Ferry, a retired IT specialist, was sentenced to six months prison, wholly suspended for two years.

His lawyer said the New Zealand citizen had terminal prostate cancer, was taking part in a drug trial that had changed his mood, and was at risk of deportation.

Sarah Anne Foote

Sarah Anne Foote leaves the Southport watch house. Picture: Tertius Pickard

An obsessed mother told world champion surfer Mick Fanning she “occasionally wanted to kill” him in four chilling ramblings in less than a month.

Sarah Anne Foote’s crazed fixation ended when Mr Fanning found her in his house on February 2, 2020.

When Mr Fanning spotted her at the top of the stairs he asked her to leave and she did so without incident.

Three of the notes Foote sent Mr Fanning were sent by post. A fourth was hand-delivered.

They contained hand-drawn pictures of love hearts and a drawing of herself. One contained a beaded bracelet.

In one note she proclaimed her love for the surfer and, in others, described smelling a rotting corpse and meeting a “kiddie killer”.

Judge Nicole Kefford sentenced the 38-year-old to 15 months in prison with immediate release on parole.

She had spent two days in custody.

Sarah Foote. Picture: Lea Emery.

Crown prosecutor Matt Hynes said Foote began sending Mr Fanning letters “best described as ramblings” on January 14, 2020.

He said the pair did not know each other although Foote had a different impression.

“She made admissions (to police) to the offending despite having a distorted view of her relationship with the complainant,” he said.

“She acknowledges going to his house was going a bit far.”

Mr Hynes said it was clear Foote was suffering from schizophrenia at the time.

Defence barrister Jason Buckland said Foote was getting her illness under control.

“The offending can be seen as occurring at a time where she was abusing alcohol and was suffering her well-established schizophrenia, which was not being medicated,” he said.

Bianca Williams

Bianca Williams. Picture: Sky Point

A former Gold Coast escort demanded money and threatened to go public with her lover’s affair after the businessman ended their relationship, a court was told.

Bianca Williams threatened to expose the man to his wife and daughter and demanded money for accommodation.

Williams, 35, pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court last year to unlawful stalking.

The court was told the former escort began an affair with Go Karting Gold Coast owner Cameron Wilson after they met at his business in September 2018.

Crown prosecutor Michael Mitchell said Williams and Mr Wilson would meet for sex at hotels and would accompany him to go karting events.

Bianca Williams. Picture: Sky Point

Mr Mitchell said the relationship ended about March 2019 but the pair stayed in contact until November 2019 when Williams was arrested for stalking.

“Between November 12 and November 20, 2019, Ms William’s increased her demand for money and threatened to tell the complainant’s wife,” Mr Mitchell said.

“There were 29 phone calls made in two days … including voicemail messages and multiple text messages.

“Between November 15 and 19 Ms Williams called the complainant approximately 34 times. And again sent numerous text messages.

“The unwanted contact spanned a 10-12 day period until Mr Wilson and his wife made a complaint to police on November 20, (2020).”

Defence barrister Nick McGhee, instructed by Lisa Searing of Allen & Searing Criminal Lawyers, said his client was in love with Mr Wilson and felt “strung along” after he ended their relationship.

“My client importantly was receiving financial assistance from the complainant as part of what she thought was their relationship,” Mr McGhee said.

Judge Dann said Mr Wilson wrote in a victim impact statement to the court that he was haunted by what happened.

Williams was convicted and sentenced to two years’ probation.

Anakin Luka

A former retail worker guilty of stalking has admitted he had “lost the plot” when he barraged his former partner with more than 50 messages – including threatening ones – in 19 days.

The flurry of messages came about two months after Anakin Luka was convicted of sending threatening messages about his former partner to a pastor.

Luka pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court last year to multiple offences including unlawful stalking.

Judge Michael Rackemann sentenced him to 18 months’ prison with immediate release on parole.

The messages started on June 24, 2020 and did not stop until July 14. The woman went to police on July 15.

“(In the messages) you started by seeking forgiveness but went on to become demanding in relation to access to children and then threatening to what would happen if not given access (to the children),” Judge Rackemann said.

“You caused the complainant fear, anxiety and stress.”

In an interview with police, Luka said he had “lost the plot” because he had not been able to see his children.

Defence barrister Jason Buckland, instructed by Bamberry Lawyers, said Luka had undergone counselling since the messages and was turning his life around.

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Originally published as Gold Coast region stalkers named and shamed for their disturbing crimes