Palazzo Versace chef stalked his co-worker after he didn’t get an invite to her party

WHEN Cameron Edward Betts’ co-worker at Palazzo Versace didn’t invite him to her birthday, the chef became angry and made life so bad for her, she quit her job.

The woman, who also worked as a chef barely knew Betts but that did not stop him spreading rumours the woman was a prostitute, that she was having sex with other employees and she had stolen his camera.

He even reported her to Palazzo Versace’s human resources manager and a few months later the woman resigned because of the stress.

Betts, 23, waited a year, then in September last year started repeatedly calling the woman and sending her text messages.

After she blocked him on Facebook, Betts attempted to friend request her via several fake profiles and sent messages to her family and friends.

In the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday, Betts pleaded guilty to stalking the woman between September and October last year.

Police prosecutor Peri Cardiff said Betts and the victim had not been involved in a relationship or a friendship and only saw each other on rare occasions during work hours.

Ms Cardiff said the victim had not responded to his phone calls or text messages and blocked him on Facebook.

“The victim is fearful of the defendant and has repeatedly asked him to stop contact,” she said.

“She has had to contact all her family and friends to make them aware of the defendant’s behaviour. 

“Most concerningly, the defendant created a false Facebook profile depicting the victim’s father.”

Ms Cardiff said he wrote a message through the profile requesting it be forwarded to the victim, in which he apologised and urged her to contact police.

“I’m worried my obsession won’t go away and if it was to get worse, I might try something stupid, especially towards your daughter,” Ms Cardiff read from the message.

“Please understand this obsession has been 24/7 for years, not about being with her but about what happened.”

Betts, who is now on a disability pension, told the court he suffered depression, anxiety and an obsessive compulsive disorder and had been in a psychiatric hospital during the period of the offence.

He said his doctor had changed his medication which made his symptoms worse.

Magistrate Michael Hogan said he considered the case serious enough that Betts should be placed on 12 months probation, both for punishment and rehabilitation.

“The consequences for this woman were quite severe,” he said.

Betts is banned from contacting the woman for 12 months.

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin, Meagan Weymes, 9^th January 2016