A former Cootamundra man has been banned from his hometown and ordered to do 500 hours’ community service work after he broke into a home while on a suspended sentence.
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Robert Bradstock appeared before the Wagga District Court for re-sentencing after he breached the good behaviour condition of his suspended 12-month jail term just two months in.
Judge Gordon Lerve handed down his suspended sentence on April 19, however, he committed yet another break and enter in early June.
When he reappeared before the court, that sentence was revoked and Judge Lerve issued a 12-month intensive correction order.
“The trust in this offender was completely misplaced in that within two months he’s committing a further offence, and the further offence, I note, was of a like kind,” Judge Lerve said.
“What didn’t you understand about the words ‘to be of good behaviour’?”
Bradstock shook his head and told the judge “There was no explanation for what I’ve done – again”.
However, he told the judge he had since left the region and was living in Windsor away from negative influences that used to see him abuse drugs and alcohol.
Bradstock said he had since enrolled in a drug and alcohol counselling program, which had helped him curb his addictions.
“Everything’s changed for good – I really stick to myself now, there’s no bad influences down there,” he said.
After committing the second break and enter, Bradstock was sentenced to 12-month jail term with a non-parole period of four months.
Since his release in October, Bradstock said he had not used ecstasy, had lowered his drinking considerably, and was working towards stopping his cannabis use altogether.
In light of those developments, Judge Lerve decided to give Bradstock one more chance.
“Mr Bradstock, I don’t normally do this in this court, but you go to the end of the table, you stand there, and you listen to everything I say, because I don’t think you listened to a word I said last time,” Judge Lerve said.
“At least he had the good sense to tell me that there was no good reason for the breach rather than sit there and try to defend the indefensible.
“The offender must understand this time that this is absolutely his last chance and, if he were to breach this by way of further offending, he would absolutely find himself in custody.”
Bradstock’s intensive correction order came with the added conditions that he perform 500 hours of community service and not go within five kilometres of the post office at Cootamundra for the duration of his sentence.
He must also remain completely abstinent from all drugs and alcohol and submit himself to urine tests upon the request of Community Corrections.
“Do you have any idea how close you are to going out that side door?” Judge Lerve asked him.
“If you breach it this time, Mr Bradstock, you won’t be coming back here. You’ll be going straight to jail.”