Benjamin Thomas Roland Cadwallander in Gympie court for 16 offences
A Gympie region father has spent the past few months in jail after committing a ‘menacing and disturbing’ act of control.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Gympie father of four has spent the past almost four months in jail after terrorising the mother of his children, threatening to kill her new partner and brandishing a knife.
Benjamin Thomas Roland Cadwallander, an excavator operator, appeared via videolink from jail on Thursday, May 29, when he pleaded guilty to 16 charges including possessing cannabis, meth, a weapon and ammunition, drug driving, obstructing police, breaching a domestic violence order (aggravated offence), obstructing police and possessing a knife in a public place or school.
The court heard Cadwallander had a six-page criminal history and a seven-page traffic history, and that the owners of the Gayndah Colonial Motor Inn were seeking almost $2000 restitution for the destruction of their door, which police broke down in order to get to Cadwallander.
He was arrested and incarcerated after going to the home of his ex wife and her new partner in February 2025, without consent and armed with a knife, in what Magistrate Bevan Hughes described as a serious contravention of a DVO.
There, he threatened to kill the new partner, the court heard.
“I would describe your conduct as menacing and disturbing,” Mr Hughes said. “You only stopped when you realised a child was there.”
While no violence was perpetrated on that day, the breach of the DVO was an “act of control”, Mr Hughes told Cadwallander.
The court heard Cadwallander was at that time in breach of a suspended jail sentence and on probation.
“Drug issues have been a spectre in your life for a long time,” Mr Hughes said.
“You are now getting to the age where it is time to grow up and address your drug issue.”
Cadwallander’s suspended jail sentence was activated, but he was released immediately on parole, having served 110 days in jail, and in order to receive help with his drug issue.
No restitution was order for the Gayndah motel.
More Coverage
Originally published as Benjamin Thomas Roland Cadwallander in Gympie court for 16 offences
Police hunt man after armed threat on popular tourist beach
Police say the man ran into nearby bushland after officers responded to an armed threat on a regional Qld beach.
Facebook scammer ordered to pay money back after year in jail
A Queensland man has pleaded guilty to scamming people on Facebook and seven other crimes after spending almost a year behind bars in a Brisbane jail.
Severe weather wreaks havoc in rescue of driver fighting for life
More details have emerged about the rescue of a man who was flown to hospital in a life-threatening condition following a Sunshine Coast crash.
Watch: BMW driver caught doing almost 200km/h on deadly country road
A 26-year-old Gympie man in a black BMW has been busted doing almost 200km/h on the Burnett Hwy near Tansey. Watch the video as police pull him over:
Man wearing neck brace says kilo of pot was for pain relief
A Kilkivan man caught with 993 grams of cannabis has worn a neck brace to court and argued that the drug was to help him deal with the pain of a previously broken neck.
Houso mum allegedly bashes neighbour with golf club
A repeat bail breacher has made a new bid for freedom after allegedly attacking her neighbour at a housing commission block.