Stalker avoids jail after six-year wait

A WOMAN stalked relentlessly by her violent ex waited more than six years for their day in court – now the former mining manager has walked free.

Christopher Stephen Teuwsen, 50, stalked his ex-girlfriend for three months between January-March, 2013.

His offending included sneaking into the woman’s home and stealing photos and creeping around outside texting her the licence plates of visiting cars, a court was told.

The woman broke up with Teuwsen after a holiday to Hamilton Island at the end of 2012, during which she had been unwell. Teuwsen pushed the woman into a wall, punched her in the body as she was over the toilet and pushed her from bed, telling her “dogs don’t deserve to sleep in bed”.

Teuwsen faced Southport District Court yesterday, pleading guilty to unlawful stalking at Nerang and three counts of common assault at Hamilton Island.

He also pleaded guilty to one count each of burglary and unlawful entry of a vehicle and eight counts of contravening a domestic violence order.

The case was originally set down for trial on Wednesday after years of negotiations.

Prosecutor Matthew Hynes said Teuwsen’s history was limited to domestic violence order breaches, linked to the offences in court.

Mr Hynes said the victim struggled as the case crawled through the system and it was a “rather trying time for her”.

The stalking made the woman feel “sick and anxious” and she had been forced to move homes.

Defence barrister David Funch said Teuwsen had undertaken “a tremendous amount of rehabilitation”.

He has been seeing a psychologist for several years and completed a domestic violence offender program.

Mr Funch said Teuwsen has been diagnosed with PTSD and depression, said to arise from the volatile relationship.

He said there had been “mutual poor behaviour” and mention was made of $50,000 Teuwsen was apparently owed.

However, Mr Funch said Teuwsen, a fencer and sacked mining manager, had “moved on with his life” and would not seek the money.

Mr Funch said Teuwsen was remorseful for his “very erratic behaviour” and the delays had been “very stressful for everyone concerned”.

Judge David Kent said the case had a “somewhat torturous path through the system”.

He said rehabilitation had been a “significant success” and Teuwsen would avoid jail “by a very narrow margin”.

Teuwsen was sentenced to two-and-a-half years jail wholly suspended.