Rockingham man Andrew Charles Peterson handed a suspended sentence after pursuing former partner in car

A Rockingham man has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence and a $1500 fine for several offences after an incident in which he pursued his former partner in a vehicle and collided with her car twice. Andrew Charles Peterson pleaded guilty to nine counts of breaching a family violence restraining order and one count of dangerous driving, disorderly behaviour in public and never having held a driver’s licence. Police prosecutor Naomi Foster told Rockingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday Peterson was driving a red Mazda “close behind” a white Ford Ranger containing the victim on September 22 last year when she slammed on the brakes, causing him to hit her. Peterson later tried to overtake his former partner in Corona Close, Rockingham, and she swerved to stop him, causing the two vehicles to collide again. Sgt Foster told the court Peterson then verbally abused a neighbour in front of children, later telling police “I understand it was rude of me to say that”. Peterson was on only a learner’s permit at the time and the court was told he had never held a driver’s licence. He was served with a VRO on September 23, which he later broke, calling his former partner more than 40 times between October 8 and 29 —including 20 times from a private number between around 5.30pm and midnight on October 15 — and attending her workplace. Magistrate Vivien Edwards said given Peterson had been arrested and in custody since October 31, was open to GPS monitoring and had an offer of employment, she was satisfied he could follow the conditions of a suspended term. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)