A man who made fake claims to his former partner’s employer about inappropriate behaviour at work, only to take it back days later, has admitted what he did was “nasty”.
On August 12, Stephen Robert Burns breached a protection order made against him, when he phoned his ex’s employer, Te Whatu Ora Taranaki, and made various false accusations about the woman’s conduct.
Police prosecutor John Simes told the New Plymouth District Court there had been 14 previous incidents of family violence between the 47-year-old and his former partner during the two years they were together.
A final protection order was made against Burns, in favour of the victim, following a hearing in the Hāwera District Court in March.
Simes said during Burns’ phone call, he asked to be put through to the nursing manager, before making a series of false allegations about “inappropriate workplace behaviour by the victim”.
He then asked for the victim to be sacked.
Three days later, Burns phoned back, asking to speak to the same manager, before he retracted his allegations and apologised for wasting their time.
“Despite this, the health board still had to go through a complaint’s resolution process with the victim, which caused her significant stress,” Simes said.
On Thursday, Burns pleaded guilty to the protection order breach, which carries a maximum jail term of three years.
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