Julian Ingram's Alleged Threats a Decade Before Lake Cargelligo Murders
Julian Ingram, accused of murdering three people in Lake Cargelligo last month, reportedly threatened a former partner with a gun and made violent statements a decade earlier, according to court documents obtained by Guardian Australia. Ingram, also known as Julian Pierpoint, allegedly shot dead his pregnant former partner Sophie Quinn, her new boyfriend, and her aunt in the small New South Wales town, located about 450 kilometres west of Sydney. A large-scale manhunt for the 37-year-old is currently underway.
Past Domestic Violence Offences and Court Proceedings
In 2016, Ingram pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence-related offences involving threats against a woman, referred to by the pseudonym Tessa, with whom he had a four-year de facto relationship and shared a child. Court documents reveal that Ingram accused Tessa of being intimate with a handyman repairing her house, which had "many holes in the walls from previous unreported domestic violence incidents." He allegedly stated, "He wont be fixing it for much longer. I have a gun and a hole for him. I will do you and him in."
Ingram was initially sentenced to eight months in prison for stalking or intimidating with intent to cause fear or physical harm and for breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO). However, he successfully appealed the sentence in 2017, resulting in a reduction to 300 hours of community service. Notably, no order was made for him to attend a behavioural program as part of the original or appealed sentence.
Police Bail Decisions Under Scrutiny
Police are facing intense scrutiny over their decision to grant Ingram bail for allegedly assaulting Sophie Quinn just two months before the alleged murders. Authorities have repeatedly defended this decision, citing a risk assessment that found Ingram did not pose an unacceptable risk and highlighting his previous compliance with court orders. As part of his bail conditions, Ingram was required to report daily to the Lake Cargelligo police station and adhere to an AVO.
Court documents further detail Tessa's experiences, describing Ingram as "always of a jealous and controlling nature." She expressed fear of developing new relationships, stating, "The victim has been too scared to develop a relationship with another man as she fears the defendant will cause herself, her children and another man harm." In early 2016, Ingram made dozens of calls to Tessa, many of which she avoided due to his "uncontrollable" and "extremely unbearable" behaviour.
Breach of AVO and Continued Threats
Just over a month after the initial AVO was issued, Ingram breached it by approaching Tessa's house, causing her to call emergency services in a state of terror. Police facts note that due to her panic, Tessa was unsure if Ingram yelled "I can see you!" or "I'm going to get you!" This incident led to additional charges, though some were later withdrawn. When confronted with the allegations, Ingram claimed, "I understand when [Tessa] and I speak it sometimes gets heated but I have never threatened to harm her or the children. I would never burn the house, it's my babies house not hers."
Investigation into Domestic Violence History
Earlier this month, New South Wales police announced that Ingram's "full domestic violence history" and access to firearms would be examined as part of a critical incident investigation overseen by the police watchdog. This forms part of a broader inquiry into how police handled the investigation into the alleged murders. Since 2014, Ingram has had six AVOs issued against him relating to five different people, including two for Tessa and one for Quinn.
In a separate incident in 2022, Ingram was convicted of grabbing a family member by the throat after a comment about his children, resulting in an 18-month community corrections order. Police facts state that Ingram told officers, "as I said it was a bit of a family feud, I took it too far." The ongoing investigations aim to address systemic issues in domestic violence cases and bail assessments.
