The man was drunk when he tried to break through the 16-year-old's barricaded bedroom door in their Lavington home.

"Well, this is a very serious matter," magistrate Richard Funston told the man, who cannot be named, in Albury Local Court this week.

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"It would have been terrifying, absolutely terrifying. You are so close to a full-time jail sentence."

Instead, Mr Funston dealt with the matter by way of a jail sentence in the community, convicting him and imposing an 18-month intensive corrections order.

"The only thing that has kept you our of jail today is the fact you have taken steps to address your alcohol problem," he said.

Mr Funston told the man he might have to complete some "really, really intensive" rehabilitation to successfully tackle his alcoholism.

RELATED: Lavington dad hit daughter in a chicken schnitzel meltdown

Despite the terror she felt, the court was told the victim was keen to resume living with her father.

The girl had not long returned home late on the night of the incident on March 21 when she offered to cook him dinner.

When she then asked him for advice on how to prepare a chicken schnitzel, he flew into a rage.

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The court heard previously that the man, 49, grabbed her and tried to take her mobile phone, scratching her on the right forearm and across her chest.

She raised her leg to stop the assault, so he slapped her hard across the leg.

The man pleaded guilty, through his lawyer, Emma Harrison, at the previous mention of the charges of assault, destroy or damage property and intimidation, having not attended court himself.

Mr Funston pointed out that the man was still holding the tomahawk when police arrived.

In response, Ms Harrison said her client wasn't aware of that "because he was so intoxicated".

"He shares an extremely close relationship with his daughter," she said.

"This is a man whose mental health was at a crisis point at the time of offending.

"He reached out (for professional assistance) and he was turned away."