A man linked to a Wangaratta murder has avoided jail after breaching a treatment order following his release and committing further offences.
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Supreme Court Justice Michael Croucher said it was in everyone's interest for Phillip Dunn to continue to receive support for his issues in the community.
The Ryan Avenue resident had initially been charged with murdering Nathan Day, 35, at a home a short distance from his own.
Mr Day had his throat cut on July 26, 2018, and his body was found in a shallow grave six weeks later.
Dunn was released from jail last October on a corrections order, which he quickly breached by re-offending, failing to attend supervision, treatment and rehabilitation, giving a positive drug test, failing to provide urine samples and breaching bail.
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The 62-year-old returned to the Supreme Court on Wednesday for breaching his sentence over Day's death.
Justice Croucher said there was no point sending him back to jail, only for him to return to the community without supervision.
The judge said the corrections order "hasn't been the ripping success I had hoped it would be".
"Given his history of criminal offending, his mental health problems, his drinking, and his particular personal circumstances, he is someone who I believe needs some form of supervision so that he can reintegrate as best as reasonably possible into the community," he said.
Squatters inhabited Dunn's now derelict house while he was in jail for the killing, and racked up huge power bills he needs to pay.
Justice Croucher said Dunn had been living as a "glorified camper" in his home and had "had a rough trot since he's been out".
He ordered the corrections order continue, with added judicial monitoring.
Dunn will return to the court on July 12.
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