A judge has congratulated a young man for 'turning a corner' after many troublesome years of drug use and offending.
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Joel Bilston was sentenced at the County Court of Victoria on Monday for aggravated burglary and unlawful assault.
He had pleaded guilty to smashing a window and climbing into his former partner's Delacombe house after an argument in April 2019, making her feel afraid she would be assaulted.
Bilston, who was 23 at the time, was arrested, released on bail and helped by police to gather his property from the premises, but later returned alone when he realised he forgot his wallet.
He grabbed his former partner and pushed her to the floor when he arrived and punched his friend who he found sitting in her bedroom.
Bilston bit and kicked his friend, before he grabbed a screwdriver and said 'you are lucky I haven't put holes in you with this'.
Bilston spent 349 days in custody before he was bailed in March.
Judge Duncan Allen said Bilston had complied with strict bail conditions, was dealing with his drug use, undergoing counselling and had obtained employment.
He said he acknowledged Bilston had an 'extremely sad, chaotic and dysfunctional childhood', lasting psychological problems and drug addiction since he was a teenager.
Don't allow yourself to relapse to drug abuse and crime just because something goes wrong along the way
- Judge Duncan Allen
Bilston also suffers serious cognitive difficulties.
"Your current offending has arisen from impulsive, impaired decision making... you were off your head on ice at the time," Judge Allen said.
Bilston's defence counsel submitted his time in custody was well spent, completing numerous courses and working in a position of responsibility.
Judge Allen said he would also take into consideration Bilston's young age in sentencing, but he considered the offending serious.
"Your offending is serious and it called for a sentence of imprisonment, particularly with the charge of aggravated burglary," he said.
"You do have realistic prospects of rehabilitation, you have demonstrated that."
Bilston was sentenced to a total 349 days imprisonment and a three year community corrections order.
He has already served the time in prison and will commence the corrections order with two years of intensive engagement.
He will undergo treatment for drug abuse, courses to prevent reoffending and psychological treatment.
Judge Allen said this was all steps Bilston had taken while on bail and it was likely corrections would help him continue on that path.
"As you know, sadly, life rarely goes smoothly. Things go wrong," he said.
"If you have a trip and you fall over along the way, get up, dust yourself off, tell corrections what has happened, get on with the order and never give up.
"Don't allow yourself to relapse to drug abuse and crime just because something goes wrong along the way."
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