Ali Jamel Saleh Al-Qahwaji, 62, who arrived from Jordan more than a decade ago, was routinely seen in court supporting those of the Muslim faith, but this week he was in the dock.
And it was not the first time.
In August 2021, Al-Qahwaji was discharged without conviction after breaching a temporary protection order.
The Dunedin District Court heard he bombarded his ex-partner with calls and messages after she said she was heading out of town.
Al-Qahwaji said he would follow her and confront anyone she was seeing.
The discharge came after he argued a criminal record would effectively destroy his standing in the immigrant community.
This week, however, the court heard how Al-Qahwaji’s controlling behaviour had continued — to the point the victim said she now felt she had to move from Dunedin to escape him.
On March 9, the woman was at home with a friend when the defendant showed up and entered the house using a hidden spare key.
Al-Qahwaji only left the property when his ex-partner called police.
While his whereabouts were unknown, the victim stayed at an address 8km away because she felt unsafe at home.
Al-Qahwaji, though, discovered her new location using electronic software on his phone, court documents said.
While police were at the address speaking to the woman, they saw him walking down the driveway and arrested him.
When Al-Qahwaji was asked for his cellphone passcode so police could investigate how he was tracking his ex-partner, he refused to provide it.
The court heard the defendant had previously completed a domestic-violence course, but Judge Emma Smith said there were clearly still rehabilitative needs.
"[The victim] thinks you must be stalking her," the judge said.
"She’s absolutely right. You need to leave her alone."
Judge Smith canvassed the possibility of Al-Qahwaji undertaking community work, but counsel Karlena Lawrence said her client was awaiting surgery.
On charges of breaching a protection order and breaching the Search and Surveillance Act, the defendant was sentenced to a month of community detention (9pm-9am curfew) and nine months’ supervision.
He was ordered to pay court costs of $143.
