Admonished by the magistrate as "an angry young man", Bega's Samuel Robert Doolin has been sentenced to prison over multiple intimidation charges.
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Doolin, 42, appeared in Bega Local Court on Tuesday, December 12, via audio visual link from custody, often looking to the floor with his head in his hands.
He faced five charges of stalking/intimidation with intent to cause fear of harm, the charges relating to two separate victims. He pleaded guilty to all five charges
Doolin also entered a guilty plea to a separate charge of driving while disqualified
The court heard one of the victims was an acquaintance to whom Doolin had offered his unit as a place to stay.
However, according to Doolin's solicitor Tony Cullinan, that living arrangement led to disputes over the theft of food and household items and non-payment of rent.
Magistrate O'Brien outlined to Mr Cullinan that he could not accept any of those statements as "fact", but only as "what he believes happened".
Mr Cullinan acknowledged that, but said the circumstances leading to the charges his client was facing should be considered as mitigating factors.
"There's clear evidence there was a dispute over the rent...and without in any way limiting his offending, I submit [the other man] played his significant part," Mr Cullinan said.
It was also outlined in court the initial police report indicated a confrontation between the two men involved a firearm. However, it was the defence's submission, accepted via an amendment to the "facts on record", that Doolin was brandishing the metal handle of a vaccum cleaner, not a firearm.
Mr Cullinan also told the court Doolin had been assessed with significant mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and that his "capacity to deal with confrontational circumstance was limited".
Magistrate O'Brien then addressed Doolin on the video feed.
"The concern I have is that despite all the maladies that give rise to your offending, no-one wants you to spend a life in custody," he said.
"Throughout your life there will be people who will annoy and upset you - but that doesn't give you permission to threaten people's lives.
"You cannot do that," the magistrate said.
Magistrate O'Brien then outlined the sentences he was imposing on each matter, but said he was aggregating them into one single prison term of 12 months, the term to be backdated to November 1 when Doolin was first remanded in custody.
The sentence included a non-parole period of three months.
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