Canberra man already in prison sentenced to jail time for stalking woman, putting spyware on her phone…..Read more ⬇️⬇️
Michael O’Connell, aged 45, was today sentenced to one year in jail after admitting he placed spyware on a woman’s mobile phone in order to track her movements, communications and activity—a stalking offence described by the ACT Chief Magistrate as its most “heinous” form. He employed the spyware to monitor the victim at her workplace and invade her privacy extensively .
Already serving a sentence on a murder conviction for the 2022 death of Danielle Jordan, O’Connell had that verdict overturned on appeal. However, he remains incarcerated as the ACT Supreme Court considers a potential retrial or a manslaughter charge in her death .
In court, the victim’s impact statement revealed the psychological damage: “This was not just uncomfortable for me. It was traumatic,” she said. Prosecutors called his conduct “technically sophisticated” and likened his denial when confronted—telling her she was “paranoid”—to deliberate gaslighting . While O’Connell’s lawyer noted he had stopped using methamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA, the magistrate noted he had not engaged in rehabilitation or expressed insight into his actions .
O’Connell had previously been sentenced to 15 years for the murder, though now the Court of Appeal is reviewing whether manslaughter charges should be pursued
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