Just over two weeks after being released from prison for helping to cover up the murder of Wangaratta's Nathan Day, and his own involvement afterwards, Phillip Dunn had begun harassing his local community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And less than four months later he was back in custody for the series of offending which was described as being a "nuisance" in the Wangaratta Magistrates Court yesterday.
The court heard Dunn, who was released on October 26, begun his harassing behaviour on November 11 by calling the Wangaratta Apco service station 16 times in a 24-hour period.
The calls continued to the West Side Tavern on three occasions, telling the victim he was "going to come and get him" and asking the victim "has your dad's truck ran over you yet?".
After a sentencing indication Dunn pleaded guilty to a handful of charges including using a carriage device to threaten.
The court heard one incidence included continually arriving at an elderly couple's home uninvited to "drink and smoke".
At one stage the victim told police he and his wife would hide inside their home pretending not to be home when Dunn would arrive at their door.
IN OTHER NEWS:
On December 3, the couple received a phone call from Dunn who said "I'll get you", before the victim hung up.
Dunn then rang back and left a message including saying "don't ever be rude to me again I'll f###### bury you right".
The victim called police and a personal safety intervention order was issued against the accused.
When questioned by police on the matter, Dunn said "what the f### is wrong with wanting to connect with an old friend, what sort of poofta country is this".
The court heard Dunn also had multiple run-ins with a neighbour who lived across the road.
The victim, a 75-year-old grandmother, said on multiple occasions she felt "terrified" for her and her grandchildren who were with her on a number of days when Dunn verbally harassed her.
Dunn has been in custody since he was arrested on February 10.
The court heard when he was released in October he came home to find squatters had been living in his Wangaratta home and was "effectively left with a shell of a house".
Dunn was released yesterday after he was convicted and sentenced by magistrate Lance Martin to 43 days imprisonment, with time already served.
