Threats a ‘blessing’ in disguise

A RELATIONSHIP breakdown which resulted in a man threatening to kill his partner in “extremely abusive” ways has been considered as a blessing in disguise by the victim, a court has heard.

A Gold Coast construction worker pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to unlawfully stalking his partner after chasing her down with a brick in 2016 before an hour-long standoff with police.

The man became abusive during an argument with his partner, who fled from the house and got into her car, the court heard.

After smashing the car’s passenger-side window with a brick the man jumped inside the car and started screaming threats at his partner at such close range spittle hit her face.

At one point the man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, threatened to strangle his partner with a seatbelt before kicking the car’s bonnet.

It came after hours of abuse via text message which included threats he would “burn her house down with her children inside”, “cut her head off” and she would “be digging her grave”.

In reading the text messages Judge David Kent, QC, noted the woman’s calm response to her partner’s “terrifying” threats.

The man’s lawyer, Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Law, told the court the woman appeared to have tired of the relationship breakdown.

“She’s weary from a breakdown of the relationship, she pulls the pin and it escalates from there,” Mr Gatenby said.

Following the incident, the man was found to have been misdiagnosed with ADHD and a prescription of dexamphetamines aggravated his condition, which a psychologist found to be bipolar disorder.

Since being put on a new treatment regimen there had been no violent episodes, the court heard.

A letter from the victim in the man’s defence stated the new diagnosis was a blessing.

“Such is the degree of her objectivity and maturity that she describes the events in these terms: ‘what has happened to (us) in the past is a blessing as it has helped us grow as a couple and individuals’,” Judge Kent said after reading the letter.

Judge Kent stressed how seriously the community considered domestic violence offences.

Judge Kent sentenced the man to 18 months in prison with immediate parole and reinstated a two-year domestic violence order which had expired earlier this year.