A man could spend three years in prison for breaking into a Serpentine home and punching two men.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jaymie Hutchins, 31, was sentenced in the County Court on Monday after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary, two charges of unlawful assault, and intentionally damaging property.
Hutchins drove from Bendigo to a Serpentine home in November last year to confront a man.
Upon arrival at the house, the home's owner heard a man screaming out to the intended victim, before Hutchins forced open the front door and entered.
Hutchins went into the owner's bedroom and punched him twice in the face, demanding to know where the other man was.
When told the man was out the back, Hutchins went into the backyard and ripped the door of a caravan off its hinges. Another man was inside the caravan at the time.
More court news: Magistrate slams 'vicious, cowardly' attacks
The intended victim, hearing his nickname being called, went from a bedroom at the rear of the house out onto the balcony.
Hutchins punched the man several times in the face and ribs.
Afterwards, Hutchins sent a Facebook message to the victim that read, "Next time I come up, I'll be sure to bring my tools", followed by laughing faces.
County Court Judge Trevor Wraight said he considered Hutchins' aggravated burglary a relatively serious example of that offence, noting it occurred at night on a residential property where people were sleeping, and required some degree of planning, given the drive from Bendigo to Serpentine.
The assaults, he said, were also serious examples of those charges.
"What is clear is that this whole event would have been extremely frightening for the people who were in the house when you... entered," Judge Wraight said.
The judge noted Hutchins had since written two letters: one to the court, outlining courses he had completed in custody, and another to the first victim, the owner of the home, apologising for his "unacceptable behaviour".
Judge Wraight also took into account Hutchins' guilty plea and the more onerous conditions in prison currently due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hutchins had reasonably good prospects of rehabilitation, he said, and would benefit from a longer than normal parole period.
He sentenced Hutchins to three years' imprisonment with a minimum of 20 months, noting 201 days had already been served.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.