A District Court judge has lambasted a man who joined his son in arming themselves with baseball bats to intimidate a North Albury woman.
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If not for his lack of a criminal record but more importantly, the fact he then talked his son out of his offending, the father would have been at risk of going to jail.
Instead, Troy James Rainbow was convicted and placed on a 12-month conditional release order.
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That contrasted with the sentence that judge Sean Grant imposed on Rainbow's son, Aidan Rainbow, in Albury late last year.
He was given a two-year, six-month term, though he highlighted the greater seriousness of the younger man's offending and his criminal history.
Judge Grant said that while Troy Rainbow got out of their car at the victim's North Albury home on December 9, 2018, also armed with a baseball bat, "it was he who diffused the situation".
"It was a case of misguided love and affection," he said.
"He was concerned for the safety of his son who had suffered previous assaults at the house.
"He should never have armed himself with a baseball bat or gone there with his son.
"It's not what a responsible parent should do."
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Rainbow, 51, initially was supposed to have gone to trial, but - probably due to his initial lack of legal representation, Judge Grant said - ultimately was arrested on a fail-to-appear warrant when he eventually did front court, honestly believing he had not previously been required.
Rainbow pleaded guilty to using an offensive weapon in company with the intention of committing an indictable offence of intimidation.
He pleaded not guilty to a second charge of intimidation, while three other charges were withdrawn and dismissed.
The court in Albury was told the victim had received a phone call from Aidan Rainbow's ex-girlfriend at 4.30pm asking if she could be picked up from his house.
The victim drove there then got another phone call to say that he was now driving to her home, in Wingara Street.
Aidan Rainbow arrived moments after she did. She climbed stairs at the front then yelled abuse at him.
He got out of the car and moments later appeared with a baseball bat, as did Troy Rainbow.
But the older man then talked his son out it and they got back in the car and drove away. Soon after, police pulled over the car and arrested the men.
