West Albury man's traumatic childhood followed by drug abuse, constant offending

Joelyen Andrew Baskett chased the victim and, after she tripped and fell to the ground, stood over her while holding the knife.

Magistrate Sally McLaughlin said it was a "serious example" of the charge of being armed with the intention of committing a serious indictable offence.

Baskett, who has been in custody since November, 2022, pleaded guilty also to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The offences were committed while he was on parole for other offences.

Defence lawyer Graham Lamond said that parole expired in June, so Baskett, 38, had been in custody since then totally related to the assault on his partner.

Ms McLaughlin jailed Baskett for 16 months with a non-parole period of 10 months.

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She backdated the sentence to January 15 this year, making Baskett eligible for release on November 14.

"I note he was pursuing the victim at the time had the knife and stood over her after she had fallen," Ms McLaughlin said.

"I accept on the balance or probabilities that he is remorseful for these offences.

"It's a serious example ... however, it was for a relatively short period of time."

The court was told, in agreed Director of Public Prosecutions facts, that Baskett and the victim had been involved in an on-off relationship for 19 years.

They resumed the relationship about five months before the incident took place on November 15, 2022.

The couple were at their Waratah Crescent, West Albury, home about 1pm when they got into an argument about money.

"The victim was observed to run from the house with the offender chasing after her. In his hand was a red-handled knife."

The woman then fell to the road.

"The offender, still holding the knife, caught up to the victim and stood over her, yelling abuse."

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A neighbour who heard the commotion came outside and yelled at Baskett: "Oi, you better stop."

Baskett replied: "You'll be next, I'll come and get you."

Ms McLaughlin was told the victim got to her feet and walked towards a friend's house, telling the woman: "Joel chased me with a knife. Can you call the police anonymously?"

She went into her friend's house, briefly left and then returned, telling her friend: "I told him I want him out of the f---ing house, and he started to chase me with a knife."

The friend noticed a red, gravel rash on her arm, about which the victim said: "Joel did it."

Baskett was arrested at the house later that day and told police during an interview that the victim had tripped and he went to help.

He said that was when his next-door neighbour "mouthed off and I jumped up and had a go at him. I said 'shut the f--- up or I'll smash you c---'."

Ms McLaughlin found that Baskett's moral culpability was reduced because of difficulties in his childhood, including the institutionalised abuse he suffered at 12, and his parents' separation when he was young.

Mr Lamond said Baskett, who had taken part in drug rehabilitation-related programs in jail, was "motivated to be a better person for his daughter".

He said Baskett had "an unenviable" history made clear by the fact that he had been constantly "in and out of jail" across his life.

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