Deborah Huttons ex Robert Dulhunty sentenced

Deborah Hutton’s ex-partner Robert Venour Dulhunty has been sentenced after he staged a bizarre home invasion in which he left a rape kit at the television star’s Sydney home and falsely reported an attempted burglary.

Dulhunty, 50, this morning appeared in Waverley Local Court where he was convicted of six offences, including stalking, intimidation and property damage.

He was ordered to do 300 hours of community service, pay $660 in fines and compensate NSW Police $13,040 for their investigation into the August 8 incident. He was also placed on a 12 month good behaviour bond.

Magistrate Michael Barko described the offence as “a pre-planned, premeditated, detailed fabrication by the defendant which resulted in Ms Hutton being intimidated”.

“And the valuable services of NSW Police and triple-zero emergency services (were) abused,” he said.

The court previously heard that Dulhunty planted a rape kit containing a baton, ropes, condoms, lubricant and a jam jar in her multimillion-dollar Bronte home in the eastern suburbs, and blamed it on a meowing intruder. At the time, Dulhunty called triple-0 and falsely reported that he had been confronted by a masked burglar making sounds like a cat.

Detectives initially believed they were searching for a celebrity stalker but nine days later turned their sights on Dulhunty and, after viewing CCTV footage of him buying items for the rape kit, arrested him.

Dulhunty pleaded guilty last year to the stalking charges after his bid to have the matters dealt with under the mental health act was rejected.

Prosecutor Chris Davis told the court in November that Dulhunty wanted to “scare the living daylights out of” Ms Hutton in a desperate bid to stop her kicking him out of the “mansion”.

The court heard the 6.5 year relationship had broken down and Hutton had asked Dulhunty to move out of the property, which records show she bought for $3.8 million in 2015.

“The premeditated planning, the purchasing of the rape kit (at a local shop), I say is at the high end of offending,” Mr Davis said.

“The relationship was on the rocks … he was being forced out of those premises so he’s gone out and purchased the kit.”

Mr Dulhunty’s lawyer Bryan Wrench argued his client was suffering from depression and didn’t consider the consequences of his actions at the time because he was on strong medication.

He told the court his client suffered from autism.

“The process to execute the motive was irrational, disorganised and bizarre,” Mr Wrench told the court last year.

“It’s really indicative of his disorders state of mind, not appreciating the consequences of his actions.”

Hutton, who hosted television programs including Looking Good, Location Location and Celebrity Overhaul, released a statement saying she was “shocked and devastated” after the charges were laid against her estranged partner in August last year.

She also wrote that she was “working with police on resolving this matter and letting the legal process take its due course”.

She later wrote to the court saying she had accepted his apologies and supported him in receiving mental health treatment.

“There has been a significant degree of reconciliation between us both,” she said.

megan.palin@news.com.au | @Megan_Palin

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