Man ran from stalker ex

A GOLD Coast woman harassed her ex-boyfriend so much he was forced to move house – and then she left a note at the man’s new home, a court has been told.

Melanie Grothe, 27, subjected her boyfriend to four months of stalking behaviour, randomly showing up at his work and home between Sep- tember 15 and December 30 last year.

On one occasion Grothe broke into her former partner’s home, taking a piece of his hair from his toilet and an airconditioning remote.

The man soon moved. Grothe later left the remote at the man’s new home alongside a note.

“I’m sorry. I will love you forever,” the note read.

The court was told on 12 occasions the man had to drive Grothe home after she turned up at his workplace.

Grothe pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court yesterday to stalking, entering premises to commit an indictable offence, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils and failing to appear in court.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said he did not think Grothe was a “bad or evil person” but was suffering mental health issues linked to drug abuse.

“Your behaviour was very erratic and he was right to be very suspicious of it,” he said.

Mr Sinclair said he accepted Grothe was suffering drug-induced psychosis around the time of the stalking offences.

“You lacked the capacity to know the things you were doing were the wrong thing,” he said. Mr Sinclair sentenced Grothe to two years probation with the condition she continue to receive mental health treatment.

Grothe’s lawyer, Bianca Van Heerden, said Grothe had not been in contact with her former partner for a number of years.

Ms Van Heerden said Grothe was grieving at the time of the stalking after the loss of her mother from breast cancer.

She said she did not feel she was getting enough support from her sister and father, who were dealing with their own grief. “The complainant was the only person she felt close to,” Ms Van Heerden said.

She told the court Grothe was suffering from mental health issues linked to drug use.

“She tried methamphetamines for the first time with the complainant,” she said.

Ms Van Heerden said Grothe began to use the drug heavily when the pair broke up.

No conviction was recorded.