A’Dee Bruce Barsah jailed for stalking as violent past revealed

By the time he relentlessly stalked and threatened to “skull f—” his former partner and stomp on her head, this Queensland monster had 20 pages of domestic violence red flags and multiple other victims in his wake. *Distressing.

Serial domestic violence offender A’Dee Bruce Barsah jailed for stalking. He has a 20-page domestic violence history on top of his 11-page criminal record.

A stalker with a 20-page domestic violence history including 14 protection orders threatened to “skull f---” his former partner and stomp on her head during a 15-day period where he paid three visits per day to her home and called her hundreds of times.

A’Dee Bruce Barsah, 37, had previously been in a relationship several years earlier and again for five months leading up to the stalking period in March 2023, Crown prosecutor Caleb Theunissen told Rockhampton District Court on Monday.

The court heard Barsah had a child with the victim.

He’d become aware of messages on the victim’s phone and thought someone else was going there.

“He repeatedly attended her house without permission,” Mr Theunissen said, telling the court victim was woken up at 2.45am on March 6, 2023, to Barsah banging on the front door.

The victim told Barsah to leave or she would call the police.

Barsha yelled at her “open the f---ing door. I’ll take down the door. I’m already on the run”.

The moment she turned on her phone, he left in his car, Mr Theunissen told the court.

He went to the house again at 3.45am on March 10, knocking on a window and begging to talk to her before he yelled at her and banged on the window.

On another occasion, Barsah threatened her with violence.

“I will run through your house. I will skull f--- you. I’ll stomp on your head, you mongrel dog,” Barsah told the victim.

Mr Theunissen said on one occasion, Barsah attended and told the victim he had “stopped consuming crack”, stayed the night, invited friends over and she told him he couldn’t have his friends at her place.

The victim blocked Barsah from calling her, but he went on to call from private numbers.

He also sent her abusive messages, telling her “you wait slut, I’m going to get you tonight” and “ring me now. I need to talk. I’m going to kill someone or myself”.

When Barsah was arrested on a return to prison warrant at The Caves on March 17, he was found in possession of a car he had borrowed five days earlier and not returned to its owner.

Mr Theunissen said Barsah had been handed a 2.5 year prison term in Townsville Supreme Court for several drug supplies and possessing 2.8 grams of methamphetamine in October 2023.

He said he had “an unenviable and egregious” 11-page criminal record containing drug offences, robbery and breaching court orders.

“He has an equally appalling 20-page domestic violence history,” Mr Theunissen said.

“He has been the respondent in 14 protection orders and numerous other domestic violence orders.”

Defence barrister Maree Willey said Barsah had abstained from drug use after being released on parole by living and working at a piggery at Mundubbera.

She said he came back to Rockhampton to work at his brother’s lawn mowing business and reconnected with the victim.

Ms Willey said Barsah returned to drug use after seeing the messages on the victim’s phone and went on to stalk her.

She also said he had started consuming marijuana when he was 13-years-old and moved on to meth in his 20s.

Barsah’s father was deceased and his mother, who had previously worked in aged care, was raising his four other children with the help of his sister.

Judge Clarke said Barsah’s repetitive controlling and dominating behaviour had “completely disrupted and destroyed” the victim’s sense of safety and security and she had to move out of her home due to his stalking.

Barsah pleaded guilty to one count of stalking, five of breaching domestic violence orders by contacting the victim and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Judge Clarke sentenced him to 18-months prison, declared 136 days presentence custody as time served with immediate parole eligibility.

 If you or someone you know needs help, contact: Lifeline: 13 11 14 (call), 0477 131 114 (text) or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au

Domestic violence support: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or 1800respect.org.au Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1800 806 292 or sacl.com.au Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au Mensline Australia: 1300 789 978

Originally published as A’Dee Bruce Barsah jailed for stalking as violent past revealed