Superyacht worker Ethan Davis blames 'perfect storm' for kidnapping ex-girlfriend
A former superyacht worker who admitted to kidnapping and intimidating his ex-girlfriend blamed a "perfect storm" of circumstances which led to his "reprehensible" behaviour, his lawyer told a Sydney court.
Ethan Davis pleaded guilty to six charges on Wednesday, including kidnapping, using a carriage service to harass, intimidation, threatening to distribute an intimate image, using an offensive weapon and possessing MDMA.
Prosecutors unsuccessfully attempted to have the 24 year old taken into custody ahead of his sentencing, arguing the offending was serious enough for it to be "realistically inevitable" he would be handed a jail term.
District Court Judge Stephen Hanley continued Davis's bail with strict conditions.
As he left court, Davis was shielded with umbrellas by supporters, some of whom clashed with photographers and camera operators.
According to the agreed facts, Davis was "unhappy with the relationship breakdown" and repeatedly told the woman he didn't want it to end.
In 2023, Davis had asked to spend one last night with the woman and when she declined, he began to bombard her with messages and calls.
"The offender made over 200 calls to the victim through normal phone calls, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, TikTok and FaceTime," the court documents said.
"The offender bombarded the victim with messages, demanding that she answer his calls and threatened the victim that there would be consequences if she did not answer her phone."
Davis also transferred $0.01 to her bank account with a message to "answer your phone".
At one point he messaged her: "You do not understand this is not going to stop… If I have to break into your house to get you I will."
One night in September 2023, the woman was walking to her car alone when Davis was crouched next to it, dressed in all black.
He told her: "Come here. You're going to get in the car."
According to the agreed facts, the woman broke away from his grip but he grabbed her again and placed his hand over her mouth, eventually bundling her into the car.
Davis told the woman: "Co-operate, it doesn't have to be this bad."
The court documents say when the woman asked why he was wearing gloves, he replied: "I don't want to leave fingerprints."
The woman was crying and shaking during a 35-40 minute period while being driven to another suburb.
Davis made her unlock her phone and delete all messages and screenshots from the multiple platforms they had communicated on.
He then took her back to her car and followed her as she drove home.
During a detention application on Wednesday, the Crown said the kidnapping charge involved a "lengthy" period and the use of a knife.
Davis could not accept the relationship had come to an end, the Crown told the court, and his actions were a "serious escalation".
His barrister David Carroll said his client was a young man with no criminal record.
Mr Carroll conceded the offences were serious, but said the suggestion full-time custody was inevitable was not backed up by case law or statistics on sentences for similar crimes.
The court heard Davis has sought psychological counselling and taken part in a behavioural change program for men.
He was in an "eastern suburbs lifestyle" at the time and was given drugs as a young person, Mr Carroll said.
"There was a perfect storm of situations which led him to behave reprehensibly," he said.
The case returns to court in late August.
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