Michael Billing, 36, was told on Monday by a magistrate it was time to "grow up".

Billing and Leslie Cassidy went to the shed, which was used by a defunct mining company near the prison, on September 24 last year.

The pair took tools, a wheelbarrow, tool box and other items before stealing a prison trail camera on the way out.

Billing was taken into custody on November 25 last year.

The court heard he had been found with drugs, stolen property, a toy AK47 which appeared real, ammunition, a duck costume and other items.

Billing has a lengthy criminal history, but lawyer Geoff Clancy told the court "it's not top-end offending".

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Other charges included disqualified driving and drug-driving.

Billing appeared in the Wangaratta court on a video link from jail, having served 136 days on remand ahead of Monday's sentencing.

Mr Clancy said his client was taking positive steps and asked his client be released on a corrections order.

But magistrate Ian Watkins said he'd never been successful on an order.

"Why would I put him back on one?" he said.

Mr Watkins said the offending called for a jail term, followed by a period on parole.

"Your offending is serious," he said.

"You've been in and out of prison for a large part of your life.

"You're 36.

"It's time to grow up."

Billing is a father and has previously told Mr Watkins he didn't want his kids to see him while in jail.

"You need to step up," he said.

"It's not all about you.

"It's about your kids now too."

The magistrate said the business didn't deserve to fall victim to the break-in and his sentence needed to reflect that.

He was jailed for a year with a minimum term of six months.

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