Disgruntled real estate agent allegedly ‘stalked’ barrister who revoked his licence, court hears

A disgruntled real estate agent who allegedly threatened, harassed and ‘stalk(ed)’ the chairman of the Agents Licencing Board after his licence was revoked has been banned from contacting him again.

A DISGRUNTLED real estate agent who allegedly threatened, harassed and “stalk(ed)” the chairman of the Agents Licencing Board (ALB) after his licence was revoked has been banned from contacting him again.

Darwin barrister Mark Thomas, who is chairman of the NT ALB, applied for a personal violence restraining order against Martyn Keatch in the Darwin Local Court in March.

The court heard the board had undertaken a disciplinary inquiry in relation to Mr Keatch’s agency which ultimately resulted in the company’s licence being revoked in March 2020.

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Mr Thomas alleged Mr Keatch then rang him on his private mobile phone in February this year before Mr Thomas told him it was “not appropriate for us to be speaking” and hung up.

But Mr Thomas claimed Mr Keatch continued to repeatedly call and text him, leaving messages including one that read “You do know me. I want justice”.

“The chairman of the board means nothing to me. A very grave mistake has been made here. I will be in Darwin in two days for about three weeks. I want to meet,” another of the messages allegedly read.

“I want answers to three questions. If I don’t get those answers, I’ll be asking you, face-to-face.”

Then on March 16, Mr Thomas alleged Mr Keatch turned up at his legal chambers and demanded to see him before returning to damage the door and set off the fire alarm.

Mr Thomas told the court he applied for the interim restraining order after the incidents caused him to feel intimidated, stressed and fearful while taking a toll on his mental health and ability to work.

In granting the order even before Mr Keatch had an opportunity to respond, judicial registrar Kris Norrington ruled there was a “strong prima facie case” that a personal violence offence had been committed or was likely to be committed.

“I do find that on the untested evidence before me that there is a real risk of a personal violence offence being perpetrated on the applicant if an interim PVRO is not made,” he said.

“While there has not been any threats of physical violence, the alleged behaviour appears to be escalating and is already having an impact on the applicant’s occupation and mental health.”

Mr Norrington said Mr Keatch’s alleged behaviour was “very concerning” and he was satisfied the matter was sufficiently urgent to warrant granting the order.

“It is concerning enough for a person to contact a statutory office holder privately following an unfavourable disciplinary decision, but to then attend that officeholder’s chambers to attempt to confront him is a troubling escalation,” he said.

“When this is combined with the allegations of damaging the office door, setting off of the fire alarm and the placement of the fire extinguisher, a malicious motive can only be assumed.”

No criminal charges have been laid.

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