Andrew Valli, 30, pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court to aggravated burglary and theft in relation to the incident on the night of November 13 last year.

The victim was at her Quarry Hill home by herself when Valli entered through an unlocked rear door and took the wallet while she was in the shower.

Forensic evidence led police to Valli and the woman’s wallet was found at his home.

Defence lawyer Luke Docherty said his client had done “quite well” on a community corrections order and during his time in custody, had undertaken courses on ice and anger management.

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Mr Docherty said Valli would lose his housing if he remained in custody until May, and said he had strong family support.

He acknowledged a sentence of 81 days – time already served – was at the low end of the range, to which magistrate Sarah Leighfield responded it was at the “very, very, very lowest end of the range”.

If not that, Mr Docherty said, he asked for a sentence that would not interfere with Valli’s housing.

Police prosecutor Richard Epskamp said Valli had a pattern of similar offending and had not been deterred by previous stints in prison.

“People are entitled to feel safe in their own home,” he said.

Valli had a history of similar offending, including crimes that had attracted prison terms.

Ms Leighfield noted Valli pleaded guilty at an early opportunity and had made progress on a community corrections order for the first time in a long time.

But she stressed the gravity of his offending.

“Obviously it’s incredibly serious offending to go into someone’s home… it violates their sense of safety and security,” Ms Leighfield said.

Ms Leighfield sentenced Valli to four months in prison, with 81 days already served.

Valli was also ordered to undertake a nine-month community corrections order upon his release, with a judicial monitoring component that required him to return to court so Ms Leighfield could monitor his progress.

Ms Leighfield urged Valli to continue taking steps towards rehabilitation during his remaining time in custody.

If not for his guilty plea, Ms Leighfield said, Valli would have faced an eight-month jail sentence.

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