Dalton Garthe Dickerson: Carnarvon tradie scared off after drunken man accuses him of sleeping with ex-partner

A Carnarvon man who chased a tradesperson around his work vehicle with a claw hammer after jumping to the conclusion he was sleeping with his partner of 14 years was last week handed a suspended jail term. Dalton Garthe Dickerson, 38, was sentenced in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday for breaching a family violence restraining order (VRO), being armed and stealing. He pleaded guilty in April. The court was told on November 9 last year, Dickerson went to his ex-partner’s address in Greys Plain, Carnarvon, despite being bound by a VRO not to contact or be around her. Dickerson accused a tradesperson who was working in the area of sleeping with his former partner. The court was told he approached the tradesperson’s work ute and picked out a claw hammer before following the tradesperson around the car and accusing him of the act. The tradesperson ran away in fear he would be attacked. Defence lawyer George Giudice said Dickerson was intoxicated, acting in a drunken way and had no intention of using the weapon. Mr Giudice said Dickerson was in a relationship with the victim for 14 years, shared four children together and found their recent break-up difficult. Dickerson was handed a term of seven months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)