Ashley Moon, 60, of Rue Cohu, Castel, admitted an offence under the Domestic Abuse and Related Provisions Law against her ex-partner, and pursuing a course of conduct that amounted to harassment against his new girlfriend, when she appeared in the Magistrate’s Court.
The prosecution had extensive evidence and as part of its case submitted 40 pages of offending messages which Moon had sent to her victims. When her ex-partner blocked her phone number, the defendant used another phone to call him, and when the woman blocked her on Facebook, Moon used a neighbour’s account to contact her.
At one point she was made subject to a restraining order but continued to send messages.
On one occasion she messaged the woman to say she had taken an overdose and died.
She used a false name to call the woman at her workplace where she made threats against her and other family members.
Her offending began in May last year and she was arrested in May this year.
Defending, Advocate Samuel Steel said his client had an inability to manage rejection or loss. She had told the Probation Service that her recollections over the timed period were limited.
These had been idle threats but she now realised the impact they could have on the victim’s mental health.
Deputy Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant had used aggression as a coping mechanism.
Mental health issues did not excuse the abuse, harassment and harm she had caused over a significant period and making threats to kill against people and their family members could not be excused.
Her actions had been so extreme and so persistent, yet she still failed to appreciate the severity of what she had done. Only sentences of immediate custody would suffice.
Moon was jailed for four months for the offence against her ex-partner and three months, concurrent, for the crime against the woman as the offending period had been shorter. A restraining order was also imposed.