Newcastle contractor Stein England denies death threats

He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalk and intimidate relating to two short videos he took of his ex-wife.

The footage, played in Newcastle Local Court at a hearing on Monday, was taken on his phone from the back of vehicle across from the gym his ex-wife was attending at the time.

In the second video he zooms in to focus on the woman who can be seen through the front window.

He later shared the video with his then best friend Matthew Roberts with the caption "one grumpy looking woman" .

In his evidence, Mr Roberts agreed that his friendship with Mr England ended on "extremely bitter'' terms after a falling out on Australia Day, 2023.

"It was about an invoice that he fraudulently wanted me to write," Mr Roberts said.

"I came home one day and half my furniture was missing and he has been with my partner ever since."

Mr Roberts said his former friend refers to himself as the 'iceberg'.

He agreed that he compiled a list of people with grievances against Mr England which was titled 'Operation imploding iceberg'.

Mr Roberts denied encouraging anyone to go to the police, or exaggerate claims against Mr England.

He agreed that he sent the videos to Mr England's ex-wife some months later.

"It was up to her what she did," he said, adding "I'd like to see him behind bars, he deserves to be behind bars."

Steen Hansen, who did some work for Mr England, said his dispute with Mr England centred around a custom door he had made and some money he says he was owed for building works at Mr England's house.

Mr Hansen said that during the first of two relevant phone calls, in February, 2023, he told Mr England he could deliver the door, and collect materials from Mr England's house, if he was paid first.

"He said, 'No that's not going to happen until it's delivered to my house'," Mr Hansen told the court.

"There was a bit of a snap and he said you won't be coming to my house and if you come to my house I'll put a gun down your throat and watch you squeal."

Mr Hansen's then apprentice, Michael Nelson, said he was standing an arm's length away during the phonecall and that it was on speaker.

"His mood went up and down," Mr Nelson said of Mr England.

"He said if you come to my house I'll stick a gun down your throat and listen to you squeal.

"My boss was trying to defuse the situation and come to an agreement."

In a police recorded interaction with Mr England, he told police that Mr Hansen had done a "shitty job" at his house and kept sending him bills "for huge amounts" of money. He denied making any threats.

Mr England's company SJE Contracting went bust on December 5 owing $1.7 million, three weeks after he set up another firm called Clean Cut Civil.

He has said he is committed to repaying creditors of his former concreting company, and that he himself was owed money.

At the end of the hearing Magistrate John Chicken said he would hand down his decision on Thursday.