Ryan James Edmondson and his older brother had a long history of violence between them.

"Unfortunately things escalated to the stage where we are here today," defence lawyer Mitchell Irwin has told Albury Local Court magistrate Richard Funston.

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Edmondson, 23, who as a result of the assault has moved into his own unit in Kiewa Street, Albury, was polite and contrite when he appeared before Mr Funston.

That was in sharp contrast to the assault he unleashed on his 26-year-old brother.

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Edmondson phoned home about 3 o'clock that morning to get someone to collect him after a night out drinking.

Just before 4am, the victim went to get a drink of water, only to be confronted by his clearly drunk, "argumentative and agitated" brother, who began to "pick fights"

They argued then Edmondson grabbed a hammer he used to inflict blows to his brother's left hand, his thumb swelling and bruising, with the nail bloodied and barely hanging on.

Edmondson threw the hammer at his brother when he tried to shut his door, but missed, so he briefly left then returned with another hammer and a 15-inch shifting spanner.

He then smashed and kicked holes in the door, and walls before using the hammer to hit his brother at least seven times.

After calling triple zero - the operator could hear Edmondson's antics in the background - the victim told his brother: "You're gonna be in trouble."

"I'll kill you when I come back here," he replied.

Edmondson pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, destroy property and intimidation and put on 12-month community corrections order.

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