A man who hurled drunken abuse at a railways worker and later wreaked havoc at the Albury police station has long-running issues with substance abuse, a court has heard.
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Homeless at the time of his latest offending, Mark Blago Manovic fronted Albury Local Court this week with an overnight bag after travelling from Wollongong.
Magistrate Rodney Brender extended Manovic the opportunity to learn from his errant ways by placing him on a 12-month community corrections order.
This will allow for close supervision of Manovic, who told the court he had to pull out of a residential rehabilitation facility halfway through a six-week program over fears for his safety.
Manovic, who has battled alcohol addiction, said that came after he intervened when one resident tried to stab another.
The 38-year-old made a recent appearance over the matters via a video link to Wollongong Local Court, from where it was adjourned to Albury so he could be sentenced in person.
As Mr Brender considered his case, including his criminal history, Manovic pointed out that one of his priors, for fraud, was not his but rather was incurred by his father, who shared the same first name.
Manovic’s outburst at Albury railway station happened last December 20 just before midnight.
Police said Manovic was homeless and that night had decided to travel to the Lake Illawarra area to visit a friend.
He was drunk and became “belligerent” with a passenger services officer, who refused to let him get on the train.
“The accused, who is a large man, started yelling ‘I’m f … ing getting on the train or you’re in for a fight. I’m going to hit you’.”
The worker called on a security guard to restrain Manovic, who kept making threats. Police thought him affected by both alcohol and drugs.
Manovic pleaded guilty to assault and to break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence.
The second charge related to Manovic breaking a fire escape locking mechanism and throwing paper work around an office at Albury police station the following night.
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