A Wodonga man was slammed on Tuesday for his "sinister" act of sending roses to an ex-partner knowing a court banned him from making any contact.
Albury Local Court magistrate Richard Funson found Anthony Charles Robertson's actions disturbing, noting it was a serious breach.
What he did, Mr Funston said, went to the heart of the kind of behaviour an apprehended violence order was in place to stop.
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It would have been frightening for the Thurgoona woman to have her personal space invaded in such a way.
Mr Funston drew particular attention to a card attached to the flowers, delivered by an Albury florist, that read: "Every rose has its thorn, happy birthday."
This, he said, was a menacing breach by Robertson.
Mr Funston then asked prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Pike if he wanted to make a submission on sentencing.
Sergeant Pike, who could be seen nodding his head in agreement, stood and told the court that his honour had said everything that he would have wanted to say on the genuine seriousness of Robertson's offending.
Earlier, defence lawyer Samantha Little had submitted that Robertson's actions were at the lower end of the criminal scale, given there was no actual violence involved in the breach.
But before she could finish Mr Funston spoke-up in strong disagreement, pointing out how the act of sending flowers to someone who didn't want any contact was quite the reverse.
"I don't understand," he told Ms Little, "why you wouldn't have seen that."
Robertson, 52, of Diamond Drive, pleaded guilty to contravention of an apprehended violence order.
The court was told Robertson and the victim were in a relationship for more than two years, separating in June.
An interim court order was made on August 1.
Robertson ordered the flowers - sent under the name of Tony, the name by which she knew him - on September 10.
"Don't ever breach again," Mr Funston warned Robertson on fining him $1000, "or you're going to jail."
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