Man sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court for contravening domestic violence orders by burning ex-partner’s clothes

A man who set fire to his former partner’s clothing and sent explicit videos of him with another woman has faced court for breaches of a DV order.

A man has been sentenced for breaching a domestic violence order multiple times.

A former Bowen man, now living in Logan, has pleaded guilty to three counts of contravening a domestic violence order after he snuck into his ex-partner’s house and set fire to her clothes.

The man, 28, faced Dalby Magistrate Court on Thursday pleading guilty to three separate breaches of a contravention order on September 28 2023, February 2 2024 and July 1 – 14 2024.

The order made on May 3 2023 prohibited the man from contacting the protected person.

The court was told during the first breach the protected person was at their home when they walked outside for a smoke and heard the sounds of smashing inside.

When they went back inside they saw the man who had crawled in through the bathroom window setting fire to their things in the bath including a pair of pants.

A short scuffle ensued over the lighter before they were able to wrestle it from the man’s hands and turn on the shower to dose the burning clothes.

Several months later on February 2 the protected person received a Snapchat video from the man showing himself smoking a cigarette on the couch with two women while he zoomed in on the women's breasts, directly breaching his no contact order.

Finally on July 14 police pulled over the man’s vehicle for a routine check discovering him with the protected person.

They then discovered the man had been living with his ex-partner from July 1 to help take care of their children.

Magistrate Aaron Simpson said while the order allowed him contact with his children it did not mean he could live with the protected person.

Mr Simpson said while the man had a significant criminal history there had been an almost 10 year gap between his offending and he had been making efforts to better himself after the breaches by getting a handle on his alcoholism and finding employment.

He also took into account the lack of violent offending.

“You had a bad patch when you were 18 but there has been a significant gap,” Mr Simpson said.

“I’m impressed with the efforts you have made to better yourself, I’ve been doing this job for 10 years and not everyone makes that effort.”

Mr Simpson sentenced the man to 12 months’ probation alongside mandatory counselling.

Originally published as Man sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court for contravening domestic violence orders by burning ex-partner’s clothes