Chade Leah McMahon faces Mackay Magistrates Court after persistently stalking an ex for 18 days

A Qld woman who “persistently” harassed her ex, telling him she was in his bed waiting for him has landed in court on a stalking charge.

Chade Leah McMahon faced Mackay Magistrates court for a charge of stalking on January 23. Photo: Fergus Gregg

A Mackay mother-of-three has landed in hot water after stalking her ex and harassing him with sexually suggestive messages.

Mackay Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan told Chade Leah McMahon, 35, her behaviour was “obsessive” after she stalked her former partner over the course of two weeks.

“The offence is serious in that you can’t harass people over an 18 day period,” Ms Hartigan said.

“It would have made him extremely on edge that all of a sudden you send him a message saying you know what he’s wearing.”

The court heard McMahon and the victim were in a relationship for roughly three to four months before they separated.

Ms Hartigan said “clearly you were having difficulty accepting that the relationship was over”.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan accepted that McMahon’s threats were not threats of violence. Photo: Fergus Gregg

The court heard McMahon persistently contacted her ex via different methods of communication.

“You came to his house and approached his car,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You..., because it’s not verified, pretended to be at his house and in his bed invited him essentially to engage in sexual contact with you.”

The court heard McMahon made threats to come over to his house, although Ms Hartigan clarified the threats were not violent in nature.

“The basis of this stalking was that it was unwanted contact,” she said.

“It was harassing.”

McMahon pleaded guilty to charges of stalking in Mackay Magistrate Court on January 23, 2025.

Defence solicitor Robert Beamish told the court McMahon previously worked at bars in Airlie Beach eventually becoming a supervisor at Coles for two years before she moved to Mackay to work as the canteen manager at the BB Print stadium.

“She lost her employment when she was charged with these offences as her blue card was taken from her,” Mr Beamish said.

McMahon was fitted with an ankle monitor as part of her bail. Photo: Fergus Gregg

The court heard McMahon had three children aged 15, seven and six and lived with her mother.

As part of her bail McMahon was fitted with an ankle monitor and she was found in breach of her bail after it was not sufficiently charged.

Ms Hartigan said the offending was out of character for McMahon and said she would “characterise the behaviour as obsessive rather than, as they say, malicious”.

“It’s clear you wanted to get back together,” she said.

“Yours is persistent over 18 days but I wouldn’t call it a particularly serious example of stalking.”

McMahon was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $200 for breaching a bail condition.

Ms Hartigan elected not to record convictions to reflect McMahon’s “otherwise good character”.

Originally published as Chade Leah McMahon faces Mackay Magistrates Court after persistently stalking an ex for 18 days