A man is accused of persistently pursuing his ex-girlfriend after their two-year relationship ended, leading to two counts of breaching a protection order being brought against him in a judge-alone trial at the Dunedin District Court.
The woman testified that despite her attempts to end communication with him, the defendant continued to reach out, claiming it was the worst week of his life. This unwanted contact eventually led to police safety orders and a protection order being issued in her favor.
Allegedly breaching the protection order by approaching her at a cafe and encountering her multiple times at a beach, the woman described the defendant’s demeanor as intimidating. However, the defendant’s counsel argued that the encounters were coincidental and not threatening.
The woman also recounted receiving a package from the defendant with photos of them together, causing her alarm as she had not disclosed her address to him. Despite feeling fearful and seeking help from authorities, she engaged with him in a private conversation where he expressed a desire to marry her.
Feeling pressured and fearful of the defendant’s persistence, the woman continued to engage with him in an attempt to manage his behavior. However, she expressed feeling trapped and scared as he showed no signs of letting go.
Despite their final meeting at the beach where the woman tried to express her feelings, the defendant showed no accountability for his actions, leaving her feeling scared and confused about his inability to move on.
The trial, presided over by Judge Hermann Retzlaff, is expected to last three days.
