’TIS the season for temptation and a court has zero faith in the ability of one North Albury man to resist it.
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Dean Phillip Gray, 48, has been in custody since September 10 but his hopes for freedom over Christmas and New Year were dashed yesterday.
Solicitor Andrea MacDonald told magistrate Roger Clisdell that Gray had begun using drugs at the age of 13 but that jail had given him an opportunity to detox.
But the argument by Ms MacDonald that Gray had served enough time for a range of offences fell on deaf ears.
Mr Clisdell said releasing Gray at this time of year would expose him to the worst period for temptation to return to bad habits.
Instead Gray received a minimum four-month jail term with an additional five months on parole, making him eligible for release on January 9.
Gray was also put on two-year bonds for offences including throwing a missile at a police officer, throwing an item on a road, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
The court was told Gray damaged the front doors of the Albury police station on September 18 last year.
When being arrested, he kicked a police officer and was released after being given a field court attendance notice.
In the early hours of the next morning, Gray was on the roof of a shop opposite the station.
He threw rocks at police who tried to get him down and made a hoax call to the fire brigade saying the police station was on fire.
Eventually he was coaxed down a fire ladder and detained by police.
Gray went to the police station on May 16 this year and demanded to see his brother who was in custody.
When he was refused, he abused a police officer and bit him on the wrist during a struggle.
Ms MacDonald said Gray was mentally ill at the time but his issues related back to abusing drugs from a young age.
She said Gray realised he must stay away from drugs to avoid getting into trouble.
Mr Clisdell said any assault on police was serious.