Toowoomba father sent back to jail after making threats to harm ex-partner

Despite being released on parole, staying out of jail was not enough of a motivation to keep a serial abuser in check, with a court told the man threatened to bash his ex-partner and her family.

A Toowoomba father of four will serve the balance of a four-year jail sentence after he breached a domestic violence protection order by threatening to harm his ex-partner’s family.

The 39-year-old man appeared in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday by videolink to plead guilty to one count of breaching a protection order and two lesser drug offences.

The court was told police were called to a Toowoomba home on February 15 where they found the man inside his ex-partner’s home, despite a protection order being in place between the pair.

Police prosecutor Julia Wheaton told the court the man had a long history of domestic violence, which included receiving a four-year jail term in 2019.

“Police observed the defendant in the dwelling and he was seen to conceal a clip-seal bag in his pants,” Senior Sergeant Wheaton said.

Police arrested the man and found him in possession of a small amount of cannabis and a used syringe.

The court was told the defendant participated in an interview with police.

“He indicated he attended (the woman’s) address and things had gotten a little heated, he stated there had been no physical allocation, but admitted that he got verbally abusive towards her and threatened to flog her family,” Senior Sergeant Wheaton said.

Defence lawyer Ryan McCullough said the relationship between the woman and his client was toxic.

He added that while drugs were “a flavour in the offending” his client was not someone who had a history of committing drug offences.

“He wholeheartedly accepted he can’t make the threats that he did,” Mr McCullough said.

“When he is released he wants to move to Hervey Bay, where has an uncle who will give him work cleaning boats.”

Magistrate Kay Ryan noted that the man’s parole had been cancelled and would likely have to serve all of the time left on his prior jail sentence.

She sentenced the man to a four-month jail term, to be served concurrently.

“Your behaviour while there, particularly the threats, was extremely concerning,” Ms Ryan said.