By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MOTHER has threatened to burn down an apartment building and to kill her ex-partner, child and the child’s kindergarten mates, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court has heard.
On 15 November, the accused allegedly “took offence” when she phoned her partner, who told her he could only speak to her for a few minutes before bedtime.
She allegedly sent text messages threatening the partner, their child, the partner’s mother, the partner’s workmates and children at the child’s kindergarten, prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Tracey Arnold told the court.
The accused then drove to the partner’s apartment building, which she threatened to burn down by throwing a brick in a pillow case through a window followed by a petrol can.
Police found a brick, pillow case and petrol can at the scene, the court heard.
The mother was taken into custody and charged with stalking.
The accused’s lawyer said the client had spent four years’ “bearing the burden” of supporting her unemployed partner at home.
The accused was not receiving medication for depression, and was at risk of self-harm while in custody, the lawyer said.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell, in noting a prior stalking conviction, declined to give a sentence indication without a mental health assessment of the accused on 16 November.
“These are extraordinarily serious threats not only to kill her own child but children at a kindergarten.
“It doesn’t get more serious, does it?
“I want to know your client is not a risk to the community before imposing sentence.”
The case was adjourned, pending a Forensicare assessment of the mother on 17 November.
