Jail time for text threats

Man sends abusive messages to his wife

A MAN with alcohol issues who repeatedly sent “appalling” abusive and threatening text messages to his estranged wife has been locked up for more than two months.

The 35-year-old Toowoomba man, who cannot be named due to domestic violence orders, was prohibited from contacting or going within 50m of his partner after a temporary police protection order was imposed in October 2022.

The man was also not to have a breath/alcohol reading above 0.05 if in the company of his partner, but police found him drunk at her residence on November 15, 2022, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on January 31, 2023.

When police went to breath test him at the home, the man refused, and despite a further police warning continued to decline to give a sample of breath and was arrested, police prosecutor Anita Page told the court.

He had then become belligerent with police, and struggled with officers leading him to the police vehicle, and when eventually arriving at the police station, the man spat in the rear of the police vehicle, she said.

He again became agitated when being processed at the watch house and kicked out at, and struck, a police officer in the leg when being led to a cell, the court was told.

Ms Page said on November 21, the man had sent a number of text messages containing abusive and threatening terms to his partner, eventually leading to him being refused bail and remanded in custody.

He spent 68 days in custody before appearing via video link from Brisbane Correctional Central on Tuesday to plead guilty to a total of nine offences.

His solicitor Brad Skuse, of Skuse Graham Lawyers, told the court his client had struggled with alcohol abuse for some time and instructed that he was intoxicated at the time of these offences.

His client was also on medication for depression and anxiety and he had recently been diagnosed with a legion on his lung and instructed he had lost 15kg since being held in custody, Mr Skuse said.

His client’s partner was in court supporting him, he said.

Magistrate Kay Philipson told the man his behaviour toward the woman had been “appalling” and that he needed supervision and support when back in the community.

Ms Philipson sentenced the man to the 68 days he had served in jail to be released on parole forthwith and to be subject to probation for 12 months.