A former Soviet soldier used restricted federal police databases in a campaign of harassment against his ex-girlfriend and her new partner, a court has heard.
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Roman Eiginson, 53, spent hours logged into the AFP PROMIS database to collect information on the pair over three consecutive days last year.
His defence team says his actions show a psychologically disturbed man struggling with depression.
But the prosecution argued the conduct had been a clearly planned and calculated invasion of privacy.
He appeared at a sentencing hearing before Magistrate Peter Morrison on Monday.
The court heard Eiginson joined protective services in 2001 and the AFP when the two organisations merged in 2003.
He worked with the AFP's counter-terrorism area and, most recently, the treasury section, where his role was to revalue the agency's firearms.
The relationship between Eiginson and the victim soured when she discovered he had married a Russian woman.
He then unlawfully accessed the protected information to research her and her new partner, and track them down.
The defendant came to police attention in April last year when he drove his car along the street of the new boyfriend's house.
The man realised it was Eiginson and called the police, who arrived to find him standing behind a tree.
Officers told him to leave, but saw his car still in the area five minutes later.
Eiginson was later arrested, charged, and spent almost five months in custody.
Defence lawyer Ken Archer on Monday said his client's behaviour had been completely out of character.
Mr Archer said Eiginson had battled depression for years and a series of difficult personal circumstances compounded to worsen the condition.
The defence argued it was during this distress and psychological disturbance that he broke the law.
Mr Archer said his client's career and reputation had been left in tatters as a result.
Prosecutor Anthony Williamson argued the defendant's stalking invaded many aspects of her life, including her employment, romantic life, home life, and relationships with friends.
Mr Williamson said Eiginson had illegally logged onto the database over three consecutive days and spent hours poring over the couples private information, including addresses, registration, and phone details.
He argued the information was then used to further his campaign of harassment.
Mr Morrison will hand down sentence on Tuesday morning.
