Jesse William Rockliff given 18-month jail term for threatening to kill and burn down his partner’s house

A man has been handed down a jail sentence after he poured petrol around his partner’s property and threatened her and his nine-year-old daughter with a gun. What the court heard:

Burnie Supreme and Magisterial Courts

Threatening to kill his partner and burn down her house has earned a 33-year-old northern Tasmanian man jail time.

Jesse William Rockliff had pleaded guilty to a count of aggravated assault and other summary charges involving a number of property, firearm and drug offences.

On October 10, 2023, he drove to his partner’s and nine-year-old daughter’s house to collect some of his possessions, including a rifle – despite never having held a driver’s or firearms licence.

Rockliff and his partner argued, during which he was waving around a firearm.

At one point, he threatened to kill her and his family.

The following day, Rockliff returned to his partner’s home to spray weed killer on her plants and empty the contents of a fuel drum around the property.

He then went back later that night and, while on the phone to her, said he was going to burn down her house and kill her and her family.

The woman then contacted police, who arrived and arrested Rockliff.

Supreme Court Justice Tamara Jago. Picture: Supplied.

During sentencing in the Supreme Court in Burnie, Justice Tamara Jago said there were “some very serious aspects” to Rockliff’s offending.

“Firstly, waving the firearm about whilst you were arguing with the complainant and threatening to kill her and her family was an aggressive and intimidating thing to do,” Justice Jago said.

“I take into account that at this point, there is no evidence to establish the firearm was loaded, but, of course, the complainant and your daughter were not to know that.

“The complainant believed the firearm was loaded, and the incident undoubtedly caused her trauma and distress.

“The fact this behaviour occurred in front of your child is also most concerning.”

Justice Jago sentenced Rockliff to 18 months in prison, backdated to March 12, 2024.

He will not be eligible for parole until he has served half of that sentence.