McLeod resorted to an attempted home invasion with an accomplice brandishing an imitation pistol in a bid to steal from another man they believed had some drugs.

But it turned out he didn’t have any, his pregnant partner rang for police assistance and the two would-be thieves left empty handed in a hurry.

McLeod, 36, appeared in the District Court at Albury for sentencing on a charge of specially aggravated entering a dwelling with intent.

Another charge of demanding property with menaces in company was taken into consideration on sentencing by Judge Martin Blackmore.

He said McLeod was knowingly involved in the use of a dangerous weapon.

He sentenced McLeod, who has a 21-page criminal history, to a minimum jail term of 30 months expiring in November 2015, with a further 20 months on parole.

“He will need long-term assistance when released on parole,” Judge Blackmore said.

The victim, 29, was at his Sylvania Avenue unit with his heavily pregnant partner, 18, on January 19.

He heard a knock at his door about 2.20am the next morning, went to a balcony and saw two men standing below at his door.

They were McLeod and an accomplice, 40, and the victim asked who they were before turning on a stairwell light.

He opened the door about 30 centimetres and the barrel of a handgun was pointed through with the two men shouting at him.

One of them said: “Open the door and give us what you’ve got. Give us your stuff.”

The victim said he didn’t have any “stuff” and was told: “Open the door or I will shoot you.”

One of the would-be thieves was overheard to say: “Go and get the shotgun”.

The victim retreated up the stairs, his partner saw what was happening and rang triple-0.

McLeod’s accomplice pointed a pistol at the victim and he threw a chair at them before barricading himself in a room.

Witnesses saw McLeod and his associate running from the premises and a fingerprint of the accomplice was found by police.