A Canberra man who stalked a child protection worker online, and later impersonated her as well as a journalist after his children were removed from his care, has been sentenced to jail.
The children were placed into foster care in 2021, with the 33-year-old man and his partner only allowed supervised visits.
The ACT Magistrates Court heard when their children were first removed, the couple was given phone numbers and email addresses to contact their case worker.
But after a court matter, the man began to send angry emails to the case worker at Children and Youth Protection Services (CYPS), expressing frustration that he felt his family had been torn apart and accusing the worker of lying in an affidavit.
"Your [sic] no f***ing hero but scum looser [sic] on a power trip…. tables will turn one day promise you that," the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote in his email.
A manager of the case worker replied saying threats and abuse of staff would not be tolerated, and the email would be passed on to the service's legal team.
But the man denied threatening the worker, replying:
"I think you need to do a drug test mate! Your [sic] clearly delusional ... got [sic] for a run or something think about how much of a lier [sic] you are."
The man later sent a message apologising, although the couple also began lobbying for a new caseworker.
Those requests were denied.
Man put worker's phone number on fake car ad, impersonated journalist
Months after the children were removed, the caseworker began receiving odd emails and messages, including from a sexual health site that suggested she had been exposed to syphilis.
She also began receiving phone calls about a car advertised online with her number attached.
In another email to CYPS, sent from the man's own email account, he pretended to be a journalist, who called for the main people involved in the case to be stood aside.
"I'm writing on behave [sic] of the parents and I'm a reporter. This will hit media and will have a big impact on CYPS's future growth," the man wrote.
He also suggested the family would be seeking compensation.
"These three individuals will be named and shamed for their actions … this is truly disgusting and sad story," the email said.
Later, an email was received in CYPS's main inbox, in which he impersonated the case worker, in what appeared to be a resignation letter.
"I've been approached by the Canberra Times to let them know the false bullshit we made up on the people," the email said.
"I'm going to retire on what I've been offered to spill the beans on CYPS."
When police went to arrest the man as a result of the messages, he became agitated and damaged a car.
He has been in custody ever since and was charged with three counts of stalking with intent to harass, as well as using a carriage service to menace or harass.
On Tuesday, he was sentenced to six months in jail, which he has already served.
He was also sentenced to a further six months good behaviour order for property damage.
