Hamilton district man threatened to distribute intimate images of ex-partner

The 28-year-old, who cannot be named because that could identify the victim, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday to charges, including threatening to distribute intimate images and breaching a family violence intervention order.

On Tuesday he was convicted and placed on an 18-month correction order with 150 hours of community work and treatment and rehabilitation programs.

The court heard an intervention order was issued in December last year, prohibiting the man from contacting the victim - his ex-partner.

But he breached that order when he sent a screenshot of a conversation he had with an associate to the affected family member.

The screenshot included an intimate image of the victim, which he had received during their relationship and forwarded on without her permission.

The court heard the victim did not consent for the sharing of the image and was "quite upset".

Then on March 8 this year, the man attended the victim's home, an argument ensued and he smashed the victim's front fence with a fan.

He also shoved the victim as he lunged at a bunch of roses which she had recently been gifted by another person.

The victim screamed and ordered the man to leave the house.

While standing outside, the man threatened to send explicit photos of the victim to her new partner.

Over the following five days the man sent the victim 200 emails, further breaching the order.

He was arrested at the weekend after he was nabbed driving at 99 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the Glenelg Highway.

During the intercept, police noticed there was an active arrest warrant out for the man in relation to the previous breaches of the intervention order.

He was arrested, handcuffed and a search located two bags containing unknown quantities of methamphetamine and cannabis.

Con Lichnakis, representing the man, said his client needed help for a possible drug addiction and was willing to attend a residential rehabilitation facility.

He said his client was apologetic and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

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