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Wodonga man sentenced to 14 months for aggravated burglary and assault - Wodonga, VIC
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A 32-year-old Wodonga man has pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, unlawful assault and theft following an incident at a Kennington home.
### Wodonga man sentenced after Kennington aggravated burglary
A 32-year-old man from Wodonga has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary, unlawful assault and theft following an incident at a home in Kennington. William Smith appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court and received a non-parole period of eight months. The sentence took into account 57 days he had already spent in custody.
The court heard the incident occurred shortly before 9pm on July 14. Smith entered an unlocked Volkswagen parked outside a Kennington property and searched the vehicle. During the incident, he found a garage remote inside the car but unknowingly left his own mobile phone behind.
Smith then used the garage remote to open the roller door of the nearby property. A 49-year-old woman was inside the garage at the time. When she, her son and her 81-year-old father confronted Smith about entering the property, he reportedly claimed that he was lost.
The situation escalated into a physical confrontation. The elderly man had Smith’s phone and attempted to use it as leverage to persuade him to leave and return the garage remote. According to the court account, negotiations broke down when Smith lunged for the phone and a struggle followed. During the confrontation, Smith placed the woman's son in a headlock before he was eventually restrained.
The court also heard that Smith initially intended to steal the vehicle but changed his mind. He reportedly told those present that he had intended to steal the car but decided not to proceed. Police subsequently arrived and arrested him after using a Taser to bring the confrontation under control.
During sentencing, Smith's solicitor told the court that his client had been affected by illicit substances at the time of the offending and had a long history of drug abuse. The court also heard about Smith's background and previous mental-health difficulties, including a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment for anxiety and depression. These circumstances were presented to the court as part of the sentencing considerations.
Smith ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges, avoiding the need for a contested hearing over the allegations. The magistrate imposed a total sentence of 14 months imprisonment, with Smith required to serve at least eight months before becoming eligible for parole.
The case highlights how a relatively short sequence of property offences can quickly escalate when an offender enters an occupied property and a confrontation develops. What began with Smith entering an unlocked vehicle and taking a garage remote eventually resulted in an aggravated burglary charge and an assault charge after the confrontation with the residents.
SmithCourtConfrontationGarageMonths
### Wodonga man sentenced after Kennington aggravated burglary
A 32-year-old man from Wodonga has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary, unlawful assault and theft following an incident at a home in Kennington. William Smith appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court and received a non-parole period of eight months. The sentence took into account 57 days he had already spent in custody.
The court heard the incident occurred shortly before 9pm on July 14. Smith entered an unlocked Volkswagen parked outside a Kennington property and searched the vehicle. During the incident, he found a garage remote inside the car but unknowingly left his own mobile phone behind.
Smith then used the garage remote to open the roller door of the nearby property. A 49-year-old woman was inside the garage at the time. When she, her son and her 81-year-old father confronted Smith about entering the property, he reportedly claimed that he was lost.
The situation escalated into a physical confrontation. The elderly man had Smith’s phone and attempted to use it as leverage to persuade him to leave and return the garage remote. According to the court account, negotiations broke down when Smith lunged for the phone and a struggle followed. During the confrontation, Smith placed the woman's son in a headlock before he was eventually restrained.
The court also heard that Smith initially intended to steal the vehicle but changed his mind. He reportedly told those present that he had intended to steal the car but decided not to proceed. Police subsequently arrived and arrested him after using a Taser to bring the confrontation under control.
During sentencing, Smith's solicitor told the court that his client had been affected by illicit substances at the time of the offending and had a long history of drug abuse. The court also heard about Smith's background and previous mental-health difficulties, including a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment for anxiety and depression. These circumstances were presented to the court as part of the sentencing considerations.
Smith ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges, avoiding the need for a contested hearing over the allegations. The magistrate imposed a total sentence of 14 months imprisonment, with Smith required to serve at least eight months before becoming eligible for parole.
The case highlights how a relatively short sequence of property offences can quickly escalate when an offender enters an occupied property and a confrontation develops. What began with Smith entering an unlocked vehicle and taking a garage remote eventually resulted in an aggravated burglary charge and an assault charge after the confrontation with the residents.
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