A MAN who kicked holes into the walls of his mother's property after she refused to give him $900 has been fined with conviction.
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The 23-year-old appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to five charges including criminal damage and using a carriage service to harass.
The court heard on July 7 last year, the man was at his mother's home in northern Victoria in contravention of his bail conditions.
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The 23-year-old demanded cash from the woman and she provided him with about $350.
The man became aggressive, saying he needed $900. He threw open the bedroom door so the handle left a hole in the wall, before kicking more holes into the walls of the kitchen and lounge room.
The woman called the police, who attended the property and photographed the damage.
The woman also disclosed the more than 85 text messages her son had sent her, which included messages like, "I feel like burning the house down" and "I'm going to smash the f****** house".
The man was arrested the next day in Kyabram. He made admissions to police, telling officers he was not "going well" and he had been frustrated.
Defence lawyer Alex McLennan told the court the man was already serving a jail term for offending that occurred after the July incident.
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Mr McLennan said the police had been late in issuing the charges so his client could not plead guilty at the same time he was sentenced.
The man was subsequently refused parole because of the outstanding criminal damage and harassment charges.
Mr McLennan said the man had mental health issues and was in a "huge spiral" at the time of the offending.
The defence lawyer submitted that a fine would be an appropriate sentence given the delay.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh said the serious offending would usually warrant a term of imprisonment.
But Mr Huynh said since the man was not given the opportunity to have the matter heard earlier, a substantial fine would be appropriate.
The man was convicted and fined $1500.
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