A highly placed source revealed Robert’s passport had not been flagged, meaning he could freely come and go from the country without facing arrest. An alert could only be placed on his passport if Queensland police deemed he was a threat and notified authorities in Canberra to arrest him if he returns. Robert had been living at his parents’ two-storey brick residence on the southside of Brisbane when the warrant was issued. But in recordings heard by Fairfax, police told the victim they were unable to pick him up because they did not know where he was nor did they have other addresses or telephone contact numbers for him. She will 'flip out' Robert’s terrified ex-wife, referred to as “Jodie” in this report, was forced to relocate and go into hiding after police officer Senior Constable Neil Punchard accessed the confidential police database, QPRIME, and texted her address to her former husband.

In a series of text messages supplied to the Crime and Corruption Commission and forwarded to the Queensland Police Service, Senior Constable Punchard advised the man to “just tell her you know where she lives and leave it at that”. He then tells Robert that Jodie would “flip out” and "f---ing explode" when she realised her ex, who had a string of domestic violence orders, had her address. Loading In his text messages, Senior Constable Punchard also appears to offer advice to the man in dealing with the Family Court and offered to liaise with other police officers to assist him in any complaints. “The police will contact you if they want to speak to you,” he told Robert, “then you give them my name. That is your get-out-of-jail-free card.”

"I have completed an email draft to send to the bitch that will hopefully make her shit herself, so I want to go over it with you before I send it to you,” another text said. Jodie has been deemed a “high-risk aggrieved person” because of her ex-husband’s violent past, which allows her to liaise directly with a police officer to ensure she is receiving the necessary support. The case has been investigated, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said. Credit:AAP Call with the Queensland Police Commissioner She told Fairfax she previously discussed the case with Police Commissioner Ian Stewart and asked him why Senior Constable Punchard still had his job.

In a recording of their meeting, Mr Stewart is heard to say to the victim: “That matter was investigated ... criminally, at which point it was recognised there was not going to be evidence to put that matter before a criminal court.” She then asks him if he oversaw that investigation and he responds: “There was insufficient evidence to place it before a criminal court. We then took that down our discipline process.” After the victim queries the disciplinary process, Mr Stewart is heard to say: “I don’t understand what is not satisfactory.” When contacted by Fairfax Media to clarify his remarks, Mr Stewart said in a statement he took disciplinary matters and the impacts these have on complainants extremely seriously but he did not comment on discussions had during private meetings. In relation to the disciplinary action taken against the officer, Mr Stewart said: “Before charging someone with a criminal offence, police must look at all available evidence and take advice on whether it is sufficient to ensure the matter can be brought before a magistrate."

“It is important to understand that the financial implications of a drop-in pay point are significant; often greater than a sentence that could be imposed by a court.” A QPS spokesperson added that they issued a directive to all staff in 2016 about the appropriate use of police information. Members, sworn and unsworn, were warned that breaching the policy would be considered misconduct and may result in criminal charges. But after Robert failed to appear at court on May 19, Jodie said no one from Queensland police contacted her to tell her the outcome or where her ex-husband was, leaving her family in fear for their safety. Where is Robert? When she asked police for an update on the case and her ex-husband's whereabouts, Jodie was told the address was vacant and there was no furniture at the residence.

The male police officer told the victim: “As far as I can see, it looks like everyone has moved out of that address ... it looks like he hasn’t got an address that we know of." “According to the report, [police officers] looked inside. It looks vacant,” he said. “There’s no furniture in the joint or anything, according to the officers who have gone there looking for him. We have no contact phone number for him or anything.” But a private investigator, who visited Robert’s residence shortly after that conversation, discovered that various tables, outdoor settings and other furniture were still at the property, contradicting claims that there was no furniture. Uber to reach out to Queensland police

Jodie also asked the officer if police had contacted Uber for information on his whereabouts given that he had previous convictions and was on the run but was told: “[Uber] don’t provide any information on any of their drivers … that’s the issue we’ve got with them.” But Fairfax Media’s inquiries established that the company had no record of a request from police for information on whether Robert was an Uber driver. Uber pledges to offer assistance to the Queensland Police Service. Credit:AP In a statement, a spokeswoman for Uber said: “Uber is committed to the safety of everyone on the app. This individual is not active and his access has been removed from the app.” In light of Fairfax Media's queries, she confirmed Uber would be “reaching out” to Queensland police to “offer assistance” on their active investigation.

When Jodie asked if there was anything police could do to tell her if Robert was overseas or not, the officer conceded they could contact Australian Border Force but added: “Other than that we have to wait until he appears.” What could he do to the children? Jodie told Fairfax she was frightened and concerned for her family’s safety while Robert remained on the run. “I do feel really concerned because he has a firearm and numerous hunting knives,” she said. “If he’s on the run and he thinks he’s above the police, what could he do to the children?”

Jodie said their children had confided in her that he kept his weapons in the car, in case he ever saw her on the street. “The children told me he showed them the knives. One was a heavy-duty Rambo-style knife, and he told them ‘I’m going to shank your mother with this, and I’m going to rip her guts onto the floor',” she said. “Their school has a safety plan. They shut down the school if they see him and the children are taken to a private room and locked in, and the police are called immediately. “The school understands the severity of this. But it’s always a worry for me every day when the children go to school. It’s at the back of my mind that Robert will get to them.” A spokesman for Australian Border Force could not comment on the specific case but said: “If [Queensland police] wish to prevent an individual from departing Australia, they are able to place an alert to prevent their travel, which would then be enforced by the ABF if that person attempted to depart.”

When Fairfax contacted the Australian Federal Police to ask if Robert was under surveillance, or had been "flagged" due to the serious nature of his threats to place bombs on his children, a spokesperson said: “Threatening to kill children as part of a family dispute is not considered terrorism.” Fifteen questions to the Police Minister Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart (left) with Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan at estimates hearings this week. Credit:AAP Another spokesperson on the AFP’s media team refused to answer Fairfax’s specific questions, referring all inquiries back to the Queensland Police Service. Fairfax put 15 questions to Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan’s office, which he declined to answer.

Mr Ryan did not confirm whether or not he had received a briefing from the Police Commissioner about the case. He also refused to explain what measures are in place to notify a victim if a perpetrator returns to the country, or whose responsibility that would be. He also refused to say if Queensland Police would request ABF to flag Robert’s passport in the event he returns to Australia. He declined to say whether he thought Senior Constable Punchard’s continuing employment was in line with the community’s expectations, how many complaints alleging misuse of QPRIME the QPS were handling, and whether or not he had informed his cabinet colleague, Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Di Farmer, about the disturbing case. Instead, in a statement, he said: “I expect the highest professional standards to be met and maintained by all members of the Queensland Police Service at all times."