Man who threatened rape, murder and tried to extort a Hobart couple walks free from court
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A Hobart landscaper who threatened to kidnap and rape a female client and slit her husband's throat unless they paid him $10,000 will not serve any jail time.
Nigel Keith Davie was in financial difficulty and his marriage was on the rocks in January last year when he anonymously contacted the couple he had done landscape work for a year earlier.
In a series of phone messages he told the man his wife would be kidnapped and raped, the couple's house would be burned down and the man would have his throat slit if they did not pay $10,000.
In an anonymous letter left at the couple's home, the 27-year-old also made threats against their children.
The couple went to the police who were able to trace the calls to Davie's mobile phone.
Chief Justice Alan Blow said the three days between the threats and Davie's arrest had been distressing for the couple.
I accept that Davie did not intend to carry out his threats even if he'd never received a cent.
Chief Justice Alan Blow
"Those three days were very worrying ones for the victims," he said.
"They had three sleepless nights anticipating a home invasion."
But the chief justice said "Davie's stupidity" had not appeared to have had a lasting physical or emotional impact on the couple.
"I accept that Davie did not intend to carry out his threats even if he'd never received a cent," he said.
The court heard Davie's marriage dissolved after the crimes but his financial situation had improved and he had been seeing a psychiatrist.
Davie pleaded guilty to two counts of blackmail.
He was sentenced to eight weeks' jail wholly suspended on the condition he be of good behaviour for two years.
Davie was also ordered to perform 140 hours of community service .
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