Guilty plea after threats to harm own son

A MAN who took his son and threatened harm if his wife did not drop family violence allegations against him was found in a hotel room after a two-day police ground and air search, a court has heard.

The man, 36, pleaded guilty to unlawfully injuring property, assault and perverting justice on August 14 and appeared in the Supreme Court in Hobart for a plea hearing yesterday.

Crown prosecutor Jane Ansell said the man threatened to kill his wife and their children if his wife did not stay with him.

The court heard he punched his wife to the left eye on December 3 after she told him she was getting a restraint order against him.

Ms Ansell said the man then took their young son and sent his wife a series of text messages that included threats he would harm himself and their son if she did not withdraw the allegations against him.

“The only way anyone will ever see us again is if you fix this,” he said in one of the text messages, the court heard.

Ms Ansell said the police moved the woman and her daughter to a place of safety.

Ms Ansell said police negotiators made contact with the man on December 4 and he and his son were found at the Best Western Hotel in Bathurst St on December 5.

The man’s lawyer Cameron Scott said it would have been “confronting for a young boy seeing his father being arrested by what was a large contingent of police”.

Mr Scott said the man’s crimes came at a time when he was “in the grips of a significant drug addiction”.

He said the man was remorseful and working to overcome his drug addiction. Justice Helen Wood remanded the man in custody for sentence in two weeks’ time. For 24/7 support contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.