Criminal bombarded ex-partner with thousands of calls and texts from jail cell

A convicted criminal relentlessly harassed a woman from behind bars, threatening to smash her face in ‘so no one would want her’.

A man will be able to walk after abusing his former partner to point she contemplated suicide.

A woman started losing clumps of hair and became suicidal as her ex-partner tormented her with thousands of unwanted texts and phone calls over six months from jail.

An embittered Anthony George Denis Butler was in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre for other offences when he began the malicious campaign of abuse, even threatening to bash and kill her, one month after the pair broke up.

Butler contacted his ex-partner 2117 times, up to 57 times a day, between July, 2023 and January, 2024, the Rockhampton District Court heard.

Crown prosecutor Monique Bros-Wilshire said when she didn’t answer Butler would become angry and accuse her of cheating with other men, telling her she was a “whore” and “dumb slut”.

Butler told her he would kill her and also physically threatened her, saying he would kick her head in and smash her face so that no one would want her, her family and her property.

“Quite concerningly he made it clear that he was prepared to carry out the threats regardless of legal consequences and had said to her ‘you can take this to the cops and get me charged, I’ll cop the charge for what, I don’t care’,” Ms Bros-Wilshire said.

“The nature of the offending is controlling, and most of it emotionally abusive.

“He prohibited her from contacting other males and demanded to know what she was doing at various times… and expected her to speak with him constantly over the phone.

“That’s a 190 day offending period.“

Butler would also ask other people to pass messages to the woman or ask for them to add her to calls.

When interviewed by police, Butler admitted to the threats but continued to blame the woman.

Ms Bros-Wilshire said the woman suffered severe emotional and physical impact, losing her hair, having a nervous breakdown and becoming suicidal.

She said Butler had a lengthy criminal history and was involved in a riot at Capricornia Correctional Centre in 2020.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said Butler came from a disadvantaged background, had problems with drugs and was exposed to domestic violence and abuse when growing up.

The court heard Butler wanted to move to Far North Queensland to be closer to family and wanted “nothing further to do with her (the victim).”

Butler pleaded guilty on November 24 to one count of unlawful stalking/intimidation/harassing/abuse uses/threaten violence.

Judge Jeffrey Clarke sentenced the man to three years imprisonment, however with pre-sentence custody could be immediately released.

Originally published as Criminal bombarded ex-partner with thousands of calls and texts from jail cell