Man threatens to kill sisters in shock stalking case

An Ooralea man’s sickening acts, including sending his own sisters threatening text messages over three days, have been exposed.

IN A shocking case of sibling rivalry, a heroin addict threatened to kill his two sisters simply because he did not like one and disagreed with the other over a health care plan for their dying father.

Michael Frederick Hansen sent one sister a series of sickening text messages over three days in March this year, including telling her he had a bullet for both women and one for himself.

"In other words you threatened to kill them both and kill yourself," Judge Brad Farr said, labelling his offending as "thuggish behaviour".

"You told her that she would never be found, that it would be sooner than she thinks … that her time was running out."

And he will be free in January next year.

Mackay District Court heard the offending against one sister spanned three years, although only consisted of three separate incidents.

Crown prosecutor Eddie Coker said Hansen had told her to "keep looking over her shoulder" and that he was going to kill her when he got home and should have done it 25 years ago, causing extreme fear for the woman.

"Even having the police around you wasn't enough to make you grow up, wake up to yourself and appreciate just how ridiculously you were behaving," Judge Farr said.

After his arrest in March this year Hansen told police he would "get them" if it was the last thing he did. The court heard he even threatened his sisters while in custody.

The 60-year-old Ooralea man pleaded guilty to unlawful stalking with violence in Mackay as well as a string of drug-related offending.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client was a heroin addict, who had been on a methadone plan for up to 25 years and was going through withdrawal while in custody.

Mr McLennan said the recent offending had occurred when Hansen's father, to whom his client was extremely close, was dying and there were disagreements about his final health care plan and where he would reside.

The court heard there was also a mutual dislike with the other sister.

"Why that in any way would justify your behaviour I don't know," Judge Farr said, unconvinced that Hansen had any remorse for his actions.

"Simply having a disagreement with a sibling about medical treatment for a parent … is not uncommon.

"What is an uncommon event is the resort to threats of violence, and extreme violence at that."

Mr McLennan said the Crown's push for three years jail was at risk of being excessive given his client "hasn't followed anyone, hasn't gone to anyone's home, hasn't gone to anyone's workplace".

"Even though, no doubt, the complainants were frightened by this behaviour, they were also able to respond and defend themselves in their own way in the text messages," Mr McLennan said.

Hansen was jailed for 2.5 years with parole release after one-third on January 15. He has already served 216 days in custody, which was declared time served.

If you need mental health support, please phone: 

• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• DVCONNECT: 1800811811
• MensLine: 1300 78 99 78
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

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