A George Town man who sent a picture of a dead wombat to a woman who he stalked over two years was sentenced in the Supreme Court in Launceston to 12 months jail.
However, acting Justice David Porter wholly suspended the prison term on the condition that Christopher Brendan Keil commits no imprisonable offence for two years.
The 51-year-old man was unanimously found guilty of stalking by a Supreme Court jury last year.
Acting Justice Porter said the stalking was intended to cause physical or mental harm or apprehension and fear.
Keil frequently telephoned or left messages on the victim's phone and sent offensive material and would loiter about the place where she worked and lived and keep her under surveillance.
The woman in her early 40s had a photographic business with a social media presence to which he sent comments and messages.
Acting Justice Porter said that the conduct began in February 2016 and she blocked his number and told him she was not interested in a relationship.
The messages which came about twice a month were initially pleading but became gradually more aggressive and contained swearing.
At one stage he sent a message: "How's your hot boyfriend handling your lesbian girlfriends, best not spread yourself too thin".
Acting Justice Porter said that she finally reported the behaviour to police in November 2017 and advised her to take out a restraining order.
However, her state of anxiety was such that she felt she could not go through the process.
After she first saw him face to face in a supermarket car park she recognised him when he visited her workplace.
In January 2018, he drove around her workplace prompting her to go home and lock the doors and close the blinds.
She called police who saw Keil walking away from the area.
A month later he was found in the area and was arrested. He admitted the conduct and agreed his messages were derogatory and somewhat abusive.
He told police he sent the image of the dead wombat to be an idiot rather than to intimidate. He conceded that his behaviour would cause apprehension and fear.
Acting Justice Porter obtained a psychiatric report which contributed to the sentencing process.
Dr Jordan said Keil fitted the profile of an "incompetent suitor'. Acting Justice Porter said he was not satisfied that he intended to cause harm but was satisfied that he had an appreciation of the likely impact of his conduct.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
