A WANGARATTA man who smashed up a friend’s home and threw roof tiles at him has a serious alcohol problem which may kill him if he doesn’t seek help, a court has heard.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Nathan Day caused more than $2000 damage to the public housing property on December 16 last year.
Speaking to magistrate Stella Stuthridge at Wangaratta on Thursday, the 34-year-old said he had been struggling.
“It’s been a bit of a rough trot lately,” he said.
The court heard Day drinks daily, sometimes as soon as he wakes up.
He was drunk when he attended the home on Ryan Avenue with another man during the ordeal and starting hitting the building.
Day threw a brick through a window, hitting the victim in his ankle.
A concrete block was thrown, causing the man to run into his kitchen, and Day got onto the roof and started removing tiles.
He threw one through a window and the victim threw it back before fleeing.
He heard more windows smashing and police were called to the scene.
When they arrived, Day and his co-offender were staggering around drunk.
Day was bleeding and appeared to have used the victim’s singlet to stem the blood.
The victim was also heavily drunk.
Lawyer Geoff Clancy said all involved had since made up, much to the surprise of Ms Stuthridge.
He said Day’s offending was “entrenched with alcoholism”.
“The alcohol is the root cause of this event,” he said.
Mr Clancy said jail, or death, loomed if his client didn’t address the problem.
“He’s at such a stage where it needs intervention,” he said.
Day said “I’m not proud of what happened that day”, and the magistrate asked what he would think if someone had treated his Nana in such a way.
“You’d put them away, you’re right,” he replied.
Ms Stuthridge placed the 34-year-old on a corrections order and he must pay $2085 to the Department of Health and Human Services for the damage.
The co-offender had earlier been convicted and fined $1000.