Man in Gladstone District Court for stalking, domestic violence

Over a period of about two months, a Central Queensland man stalked his children and former partner by driving slowly past their house, watching the home and following them in his car - even to the police station.

Generic photo of woman being followed by a man.

A Central Queensland man who told his former partner he would keep following her until he went to jail has changed his attitude towards prison after spending 26 days in pre-sentence custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre.

The man, who cannot be identified, pleaded guilty in the District Court at Gladstone to unlawfully stalking, which contravened a domestic violence order.

The court heard the man, aged in his late 30s, shared custody of three children with his ex, and the stalking began in August 2022 when a domestic violence order was in place and she moved to a new home and had her security upgraded.

Over a period of about two months, the man stalked his children and former partner by driving slowly past their house, watching the home and following them in his car - even to the police station.

Crown prosecutor Zachary Arnold told the court the man’s actions had lasting consequences, and though the stalking had stopped, the feeling of being watched lingered with the victim to this day.

“She can’t escape the feeling of still having her life controlled,” Mr Arnold said.

“That really strikes at the heart of why stalking is such a serious offence, even when his actual conduct is finished, it stills leaves her with that ongoing fear.”

Mr Arnold told the court the man had an ‘obsession’ with the victim and used the custody arrangements with their children to make contact with, harass and emotionally manipulate her.

Defence lawyer Jordan Ahlstrand said his client, who worked as a carpenter, came from a ‘very decent family’, had no history of drug or alcohol abuse and had since started a relationship with a new woman.

Mr Ahlstrand argued the stalking period was only two months and five days and no threats of physical violence were made toward the woman or their children.

“It was an asinine attempt to continue to contact the children and potentially resume the relationship with the complainant,” Mr Ahlstrand said.

“He did not comprehend the serious nature of his offending.”

He said that during his time in pre-sentence custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre, the defendant had kept a low profile among inmates and exercised, before being granted bail in November.

When passing down his sentence, Judge Craig Chowdhury, revealed the man’s alarming attitude about his stalking behaviour.

“You also made a comment that, ‘you can send me to the can if you want, take me to jail, I love you, breach me all you want, I’ll do the time. I don’t care anymore’,” Judge Chowdhury told the court.

“The woman went to the police station to report this behaviour. When she left the station, she saw your car parked in front of hers.

“In another incident the woman was in her lounge room getting the children ready for school. She heard a car driving along the road, looked out, and saw your car driving very slowly across her driveway.

“Later that same day you called to speak to the girls, you made the comments about why they’re not outside in the backyard.

“The girls asked how you knew that, clearly indicating you knew about where they lived and what the house looked like.”

Judge Chowdhury said the community expected adults to behave like adults when there was a breakdown in a relationship.

“It‘s always stressful and difficult, particularly when there’s young children involved,” he said.

“You’re not going to get back with someone by engaging in this sort of behaviour.

“It’s the complete opposite, it will drive them away even further.

“You just have to accept the reality of things.”

The man was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended after 26 days (time already served) with an operational period of 18 months.

A protection order remains in place until 2027.

Originally published as Man in Gladstone District Court for stalking, domestic violence