A MAN who accused a domestic-abuse charity of having a “hatred of men” after becoming “frustrated” with its support of his former partner has been banned from contacting staff for two years.
Jordan Darius Robertson, 32, was also placed on probation for 18 months when he was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Robertson pleaded guilty in July to using words of an obscene and menacing character after calling Freeda – formerly Jersey Women’s Refuge – three times within just over two hours on 9 May.
The court heard that he accused the Island’s only independent domestic-abuse charity of destroying his life, described its staff as “horrible people” and claimed that its support of his former partner had left him mentally unwell.
In recordings played to the court, he told Freeda staff: “Your whole setup is weird. It’s like hatred of men.”
He added: “There are good men out there who make mistakes.”
Robertson also told staff: “No one wants you. I guarantee that the woman who’s advising is overweight or ugly.”
In another voice message, he said: “You guys are obsessive. Men get abused too.”
Advocate Katie Ripley, prosecuting, said the calls had “distressed” staff and called for a five-year restraining order.
However, Advocate James Corbett, defending, described the proposed length of the order as “disproportionate and excessive in the circumstances”.
He said Robertson had admitted the offence at the first opportunity, recognised that his behaviour was wrong and felt “ashamed”.
The calls had lasted “barely five minutes” in total, Mr Corbett said, and Robertson had neither behaved this way before nor contacted Freeda since the incident.
Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu, presiding, accepted that the calls were an “isolated incident” driven by Robertson’s frustration with the charity’s work with his former partner.
However, he told him: “What you did is not a way to resolve the issue.”
Mr Le Cornu imposed a two-year restraining order and put Robertson on probation for 18 months.
He warned the man: “I am giving you a chance here. Any repetition, you will be straight back in court.”
Freeda chief executive Kate Wright welcomed the sentence.
“Our staff undertake emotionally demanding work supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse, and they must be able to do so without fear, intimidation or harassment,” she said.
“This sentence sets an important example that threatening or abusive behaviour towards those providing vital support services will be taken seriously.”
