Dad’s threat to behead
Man, 32, avoids jail over vile messages to ex
A CHARLEMONT dad who made vile threats to his former partner and a petrol station worker has narrowly avoided going straight to jail.
Vincent Jeffrey, 33, will need to be on his best behaviour for the next two years or risk spending six months in prison after being sentenced for a string of crimes involving separate victims.
A magistrate this week said Jeffrey’s conduct was “disturbing” after it was revealed he issued explicit threats to his expartner, including a warning that he would behead the woman.
He also threatened an employee at a Portarlington petrol station by claiming he would come to the man’s workplace with a shotgun.
Jeffrey appeared at Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to charges including making threats to kill and using a carriage service to menace.
He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, but a recognisance release order means Jeffrey can keep his freedom if he stays out of trouble for the next two years.
He was also put on a community correction order.
Court documents reveal Jeffrey’s offending took place between July 2020 and June 2021. During the period, Jeffrey exchanged thousands of messages with his former partner, which were largely derogatory and abusive towards her.
On several occasions, he turned up at her workplace, and in one case told the woman that he knew the owner of the business and that it would be her last shift.
The most serious incident happened in May 2021 when Jeffrey sent a text message containing a series of threats.
The message – sent in the context of a discussion regarding childcare fees – included the words: “I’d like you to leave me alone before I cut your head off.”
He then called the woman and said: “I’m on my way, for your own safety you need to call the cops because I’m coming around there to kill you.”
Jeffrey was also responsible for a troubling incident on June 17, 2021, when he threatened to kill a staff member at United service station in Portarlington.
The victim had called Jeffrey after giving him more than nine hours to return and pay for his fuel as promised.
But the call agitated Jeffrey, who rang back and said: “Now that you’ve called, I’m coming after you now. I’ll meet you with a 12-gauge shotgun.”
He was arrested the next day.
Magistrate John Lesser said Jeffrey’s behaviour – particularly towards his ex-partner – was “profoundly disturbing”.
But he chose not to immediately jail Jeffrey after finding it would negatively affect his young son.
“Let me be very clear about this: you are at risk of spending six months in jail,” Mr Lesser said.
“The only reason you’re not spending that six months in jail today is because of your situation with your child.”
Jeffrey must pay a $10,000 bond as part of the recognisance release order.
The correction order, which will run for two years, involves 300 hours of unpaid work.