A woman forced to hide-out in Albury in extreme fear of her ex-partner is convinced the man will one day come through her front door and murder her, a court has heard.
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The woman’s suffering at the hands of Mark Leslie Apps has forced her to move twice.
But each time Apps has found her, Albury Local Court was told this week.
The latest incident happened after the victim finished buying groceries at Lavington Square shopping centre on September 26.
Apps, who fronted court with a Pomeranian dog tucked under his left arm, arrived in Albury the previous day.
He pulled up beside the woman, 35, and their 12-year-old son and called out: “Get in the f … ing car. Don’t be stupid … get in the f … ing car.”
Apps is banned from entering Albury unless attending court, which forced magistrate Rodney Brender to order he attend Community Corrections in Goulburn for a pre-sentence report.
The 47-year-old, who is from Goulburn, pleaded guilty to stalk or intimidate, which he claimed was not his intention.
But police told the court how the victim had ended their long-term relationship because of “ongoing domestic violence-related issues”.
“The victim added that she is constantly on edge and fears the accused coming through the door one day and killing her.”
That fear forced the woman to seek emergency accommodation to get away from Apps, the father of her four children.
But when Apps arrived in Albury, she allowed him to stay.
The next day they drove to Bunnings in East Albury, where they began arguing.
“The argument has been a result of the accused becoming annoyed over the victim paying attention to her son and not him,” police said.
Police went to her home later that day to return some property, which was when Apps was asked to leave when she relayed what had happened.
After she and her son got in Apps’ car at Lavington Square, he drove off erratically.
At one point he warned her: “I’ve always given you three choices – an ants nest, up a gum tree … or a Cleanaway garbage disposal.”
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