A Lake Macquarie man has pleaded guilty to seven domestic violence offences, including bugging his ex-lover's bedroom and tracking her car.
A police fact sheet tendered in pre-sentencing procedures at Belmont Local Court said Daniel Ben Barnett, 48, committed the offences between November 2022 and March 2023.
Barnett pleaded guilty to four counts of contravening an apprehended domestic violence order, as well as one count of installing a device to record a conversation that he was not party to.
There was also a count of stalking and intimidating while intending to cause fear to his victim and another count of installing and using a tracking device to find a person who did not consent to being tracked.
The victim cannot be named for legal reasons.
Barnett listening in
The police document stated "the accused had been able to listen and access the victim's private conversations for an unknown amount of time".
It said a listening bug was found during a police search on March 24, 2023, under a side table in her bedroom.
It said all her conversations were recorded when the device was activated by her voice.
"Checks show this sound activated listening device can operate for up to 25 days without being recharged."
GPS tracking device in car
The police document said four days earlier on March 21, 2023, the victim suspected her car was being tracked and she took it to an auto-electrician for confirmation.
"The victim told police she did this due to the number of incidents in which she saw the accused in random locations," the fact sheet stated.
"The victim's car was placed in a hoist and searched and at the rear of the internal component of the car there was a small black box, which looked suspicious.
"The box was removed and in the afternoon the same day the victim went to Belmont Police Station where she handed in the device."
The police fact sheet said officers examined the item and "determined it was a 4G GPS car tracker".
It said the woman feared for her safety and moved in with a friend, only for the accused to show up at the friend's house where she had sought refuge.
Barnett was arrested on March 27, 2023, and refused bail.
The court was today told there had been delays with his pre-sentencing report and Barnett was now due to be sentenced on May 31.
