He had only known the owner for two or three months when they got into a disagreement about some money that the defendant claimed he was owed.
On 23 August, Hunt attended the takeaway with a friend, who was heard to be shouting and swearing at the owner. The police were called and the defendant and his friend were asked to leave the premises, which they did.
However, in the early hours of the following morning, a number of threatening voice messages were sent directly to the owner from Hunt’s mobile phone. In the messages, the defendant could be heard telling the victim: “don’t open your doors because I will kill you. I will bake you in your pizza oven. Do you want to die? I’m about to come through your restaurant doors.”
Pictured: The defendant sent messages to the victim via WhatsApp.
Hunt also sent numerous written threatening messages to the victim via a WhatsApp group chat, some of which contained racial abuse, while others threatened sexual abuse towards the victim’s children.
The following day, the defendant contacted one of his delivery drivers to tell them he felt bad about his actions, and asked them to go to the takeaway and apologise on his behalf. The driver did so and Hunt thought the matter would go no further.
However, on the morning of 31 August, he was arrested.
“I’m scared he will hurt me or kill me,” the victim said in their statement. “I’ve been scared to open my business. I’ve had trouble sleeping and I am constantly worried.”
The victim said they had to close their takeaway shop on 24 August because they were too frightened to open.
Pictured: The defendant was arrested a week after the offences took place.
Hunt pleaded guilty to charges of sending messages of a ‘menacing character’ and threatening to destroy the takeaway.
In his mitigation, Advocate Sam Steel said the defendant had been “under a lot of stress at the time” as he was setting up a new business, and felt let down by the victim.
“He drank alcohol which aggravated his anger,” Advocate Steel said. “He lost his inhibitions and sent these menacing messages.
“When he sobered up he was mortified. He never intended to carry out any of the threats.”
Hunt later described the messages he sent as “disgusting”, “repulsive”, “horrendous”, “malicious”, “revolting” and “disturbing”.
Advocate Steel said he “didn’t seek to minimise the offence”, which was “out of character” for Hunt.
Pictured: The defendant was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court.
He explained how the defendant was setting up a business with an “impressive ethical, eco-friendly model” and said immediate custody could “severely jeopardise” the plan.
“When he’s sober, he’s a different character to the one who sent the messages,” Advocate Steel added.
He asked for a six month probation order, but Judge Russell Finch said that wouldn’t be enough to meet the seriousness of the offence.
“Whether you meant [the threats] or not, that is not something the recipient knows,” he explained to the defendant. “The reference to children and the racist stuff are particularly disturbing. These offences are so serious.”
Judge Finch sentenced Hunt to six months in prison, adding “you’re lucky it’s not more”.