Capricornia prisoner sentenced for breaching domestic violence order 18 times

A prisoner has breached a domestic violence order 18 times by calling his victim’s mother to contact her while behind bars at Capricornia Correctional Centre.

Capricornia Correctional Centre.

A prisoner has breached a domestic violence order 18 times by calling his victim’s mother, ‘begging and demanding’ her to contact the victim while he was behind bars at Capricornia Correctional Centre.

The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 20 to 18 counts of contravening a domestic violence order.

Police prosecutor David Longhurst said the defendant contacted the victim’s mother multiple times from within the prison in order to contact the victim.

The court heard the phone calls were made between August 4 and September 4, 2022.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said the defendant “begged and demanded” the victim’s mother contact the victim.

“She was a sensible woman and refused to do that,” Ms Beckinsale said.

Mr Longhurst said the defendant, who had a seven-page criminal record, was dealt with in court in October 2022 where he received a one-month prison sentence, wholly suspended for 18 months, for similar offending.

Defence lawyer Lachlan Robertson said the matters before the court pre-dated his client’s previous sentence.

“Had these matters been before the court the ultimate sentence would not be different,” Mr Robertson said.

He said his client had separated from the victim in 2019, but there was one child to that relationship.

“My client has made significant efforts while in custody to improve his circumstance and improve his efforts towards rehabilitation,” he said.

The defendant was sentenced to one-month prison, wholly suspended for 15 months.

Originally published as Capricornia prisoner sentenced for breaching domestic violence order 18 times