A woman will have almost four months to prepare for the release of her 'intimidating' and 'controlling' former partner from prison.
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The man, who The Courier has chosen not to name to protect the victim's identity, was sentenced at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old pleaded guilty in early June to persistent contravention of a community corrections order, stalking, breaching an intervention order, making threats to destroy property and making a threat to kill.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg sentenced the man on Tuesday to five months imprisonment, followed by a two-year community corrections order.
You have used the children as an excuse.
- Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg
The man will be required to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work, assessment and treatment for drugs, alcohol and mental health, anger management and men's behaviour change programs and judicial monitoring.
"He is a red flag staring you straight in the face for men's behaviour programs," Mr Rozencwajg said.
The prosecution summary, obtained by The Courier, states the man attended the victim's house in breach of an intervention order on December 24, 2019 to give their children Christmas presents.
The victim said she was scared to ask the man to leave in fear of being assaulted and he stayed the night.
The man attended the victim's house again on December 31 as he wanted to spend New Year's with the children.
The victim offered to pay him money and drop him off at a friend's house, feeling it was the only way to get him to leave the house.
The victim drove the man to the friend's house and gave him $150 when he demanded $200 more and refused to get out of the car until she paid.
The victim got out of the car and the man followed her and yelled verbal abuse.
He called the victim multiple times on her phone after she left and continued to call times every day in an attempt to harass her.
On January 13, 2020 the man messaged the victim, causing her to be in fear, then sent another message with a photo of him holding an item that looked like a gun.
On January 21, 2020 the man called the victim 'non stop all day', and continued to harass and stalk the victim making her fearful.
Mr Rozencwajg said the man would face longer terms of imprisonment if he continued to return to court for similar offending.
"You have used the children as an excuse," he said.
"You have a poor record of contravening court orders.
"The important thing is you get involved in the programs and you learn there is another way to see your kids."
Mr Rozencwajg told the man during the plea hearing in early June he had caused his former partner to move once already and she was worried she would have to move again when he is released.
"Controlling, intimidating and abusive behaviour can be worse than physical violence. Your actions are atrocious in my mind," he said.
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