A MOUNT Gambier man who breached an intervention order involving his former partner on seven occasions narrowly avoided jail last month.
Luke Perryman, 36, appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court where he received a suspended sentence of four months and 24 days.
The prosecution said the protected person went on a trip to Melbourne on February 16 and received around 80 text messages from the defendant.
Some of the messages were abusive and accused the defendant of “sleeping with others”.
On February 25, at around 2pm, the victim received more messages from the defendant.
Exactly a month later, the victim received a phone call from Perryman requesting closure.
A short time after receiving the message, the victim saw Perryman in a vehicle outside.
The victim left the house and was followed by the defendant to another address.
When she pulled into the police station the defendant parked next to her.
That evening from 5.50pm to 11.45pm, Perryman sent 70 messages to the victim and attempted to call her 100 times.
At 10.30pm the protected person was in bed and heard banging on the front door.
The victim’s mother answered and Perryman said he just wanted to make sure the victim was okay.
Perryman was asked to leave.
The defendant’s lawyer said Perryman’s actions were in the “heat of the moment” because the victim “pushed his buttons.”
Magistrate Teresa Anderson said the offending was serious and a penalty needed to reflect that.
“Intervention orders are not worth the paper they are written on if courts do not impose deterrent penalties,” Magistrate Anderson said.
Magistrate Anderson imposed a sentence of four months and 24 days, which would be suspended on him entering a $500, two year good behaviour bond.
He will be supervised for a portion of the bond.
“This will probably be the last time you will get a suspended sentence,” Magistrate Anderson said.
