A man has been jailed for threatening a woman with a broomstick and being found in possession of Defence service medals, credit cards and watches believed to be stolen property.
Ian Joseph Little, 44, was sentenced to a 13-month prison term - with a seven-month non-parole period - when he faced Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday after he previously pleaded guilty to several charges including intimidation.
According to a statement of agreed facts, Little has an "extensive" criminal history and was arrested three days after he threatened a woman - with whom he was having an ongoing dispute - outside a Tanilba Bay home.
CCTV footage obtained by police showed Little "aggressively" approach the woman and her male friend before he returned to his vehicle, retrieved a broomstick and began threatening and swinging it at them.
He left the scene when the woman picked up a small axe from the ground, the facts said.
Police were notified and found Little and another woman nearby - the pair got in his SUV and fled when they saw the officers.
Police soon found the vehicle unoccupied after it crashed into a gully. Officers found several items - believed to have been stolen - inside the Nissan, including seven watches, six mobile phones, several Mastercards and Visa cards in different names, and a display box containing Defence service medals.
They also found two black swords and a hunting knife.
In court on Monday, Magistrate Perry dismissed the defence argument that Little was acting in "excessive self-defence" during the Tanilba Bay incident.
She read from a pre-sentence assessment report which found that Little, who had only finished a term of parole in July, had attempted to justify his behaviour and was pre-occupied with maintaining a "tough" appearance in the community.
"The evidence before us is that you keep offending," Magistrate Perry said.
"If you're sick of going in and out of jail then stop offending."
With the sentence back-dated to allow for time he has already spent in custody since being charged, Little will be eligible for parole in April.
