"Who is the adult?" Magistrate McCarron has asked a Parkes man in relation to an age difference between him and his victim in a domestic violence matter.
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Shane Pritchard (32) of High Street, Parkes, was in Parkes Local Court on Monday, February 3, charged with Contravene prohibition or restriction in an apprehended domestic violence order at Dubbo on August 22, 2019, and stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm (domestic violence offence) at Parkes on October 8, 2019.
The offences were committed against two different victims.
In the first matter a final apprehended violence order was made at Parkes on October 5, 2018 for a period of two years.
Since that time Pritchard and the victim have been in regular contact without any issues.
On September 12, 2019, Pritchard contacted the victim.
A text message conversation soon de-escalated.
On Sunday September 22, 2019 at 4.29pm the victim received a phone call from a private number.
The victim answered and recognised the voice to be Pritchard.
The victim reported the matter to police and Pritchard was arrested and charged on September 24 with breaching the AVO.
Pritchard denied making the phone call.
Pritchard and this second victim were in a de-facto relationship for about eight months up until the end of September 2019.
There is an AVO in place until February 2021.
This victim attended Parkes Police Station on two occasions in October 2019 and asked an officer to speak to Pritchard.
She stated he was non stop ringing her, abusing her, and riding his motorbike up and down the street where she lives.
Magistrate McCarron told Pritchard she thought a fine might drive it home that court orders are to be taken extremely seriously.
"I can appreciate, reading between the lines, that the complainant in the first matter was probably being difficult, but it is you that is on the order from the court," she said.
Magistrate McCarron said in relation to the second victim, the extent of the stalking and intimidating is the constant phone calls and contact which caused the victim to go to the police.
"There is a 13 year age difference isn't there?" she said.
"And you would think that Mr Pritchard would show some maturity but clearly his past behaviour has demonstrated an inability to deal with relationships."
Pritchard was fined $1500 and placed on a community correction order for 12 months with the added condition he undertake counselling with respect to anger management and domestic violence issues.