Gympie region man pleads guilty to breaching DVO

A Gympie region man has been fined $800 after finding out his co-parent was engaged to another man.

The father was not convicted.

A 35-year-old Mary Valley man has been fined $800 for breaching a domestic violence order on February 7 after co-parenting turned sour.

Despite a domestic violence incident in 2021, the man and his victim were living together to co-parent their three young children.

Lawyer Laura Nightingale told the court her client was “completely unaware” he and the victim were “separated”.

“He didn’t know she was engaged to another man and had been in a relationship for the last two years or so,” Ms Nightingale said.

The court heard the man texted her: “I hope I kill myself so the kids know that you’re the reason”.

He berated her through text, and continued messaging even when getting no reply.

A 35-year-old Mary Valley man has been fined $800 for breaching a domestic violence order on February 7 after co-parenting turned sour.

Police prosecutor Christie Mahoney told the court the defendant had been “accusatory and critical” to the woman and threatened to take the children to New South Wales.

Police were called to the home, and found the defendant in the doorway.

He told them “she asked me to leave and I’m leaving”.

He admitted to taking her key from her keychain, grabbing her wrist and throwing a hair straightener on the floor.

Magistrate Bevan Hughes acknowledged that the fisheries worker felt “confused, upset and hurt”.

“Those feelings are all within the normal realms of being human and being heartbroken,” he said.

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“She’s entitled to choose someone else, as hurtful as that may be. You are not entitled to send texts of that nature.”

He discussed the importance modelling the right behaviour to show his children how women are meant to be treated and how men ought to behave.

“When you hurt her, you hurt them,” he said.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Gympie region man pleads guilty to breaching DVO