GRAND BANK, NL— Thomas Broydell of Burin was back in provincial court in Grand Bank on Nov. 6 facing charges of criminal harassment, being unlawfully in a dwelling, making harassing telephone calls, mischief relating to property, and possessing property obtained by crime.
Convictions were entered on the first four charges.
The charge of possession of stolen goods was dismissed. Judge Harold Porter said the charge could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to court documents, Broydell had been dating a woman from Marystown for a few months. When she ended the relationship, he repeatedly called and texted her, and went to her residence several times uninvited.
In his written decision Judge Porter gives some detail on the relationship between Broydell and the complainant, explaining the two had met, became friends and then started dating.
In March the relationship had reached the point where the accused would spend consecutive nights at the complainant’s home while her school-aged son was with his father.
The judge added when the complainant wanted to break off the relationship, Broydell would talk about his own death by suicide.
One such instance entered into evidence includes a picture of blood Broydell sent to the complainant on April 1, including a message that read “Ur unbelievable u do want me to die to, block my text u got no worries cry tomorrow when I’m gone.”
In his decision Judge Porter writes the complainant was concerned Broydell might harm himself; however, by June she had told him the relationship was over, and in July the police were called.
“The first time she called the police, she did not want him charged. She told the police that he had made remarks consistent with suicidal ideation, and so they took him to the hospital. By early August, she was asking the police about a peace bond.”
Judge Porter also detailed other events. On June 23 the accused approached the complainant while she was at the playground with her child.
“Their relationship did not include his having contact with her son,” the judge wrote. “He asked her if he could talk to her, and she said no. She testified that she had told him the relationship was over prior to that date.”
On July 11 while at a movie with her son, the complainant received a series of text messages from the accused, including a picture of him holding a bag of popcorn with the message “enjoy your movie.”
On the night of July 12, the accused sent 100 messages to the complainant and showed up at her home.
“The visit to the house included him going inside the house uninvited, using a key which he said she had given him,” Judge Porter wrote.
The possession of stolen goods (the house key) and the unlawful entry charges come from these dates.
According information in the release, the complainant tried blocking calls from Broydell, who also used other people’s phones to try to call or text the complainant, including those of his ex-wife, mother, friends, and a hotel.
Broydell will be back in court Jan. 3 for pre-sentence report.
