Kalijah Madison, 18, of Cameron Grove, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to 19 charges. He has already spent 33 days in custody. 

Madison was jailed for four months and has to undertake a community corrections order on his release from prison to address his issues with alcohol and drugs.

Police said Madison threatened three groups of people with a knife on the night of June 14 and was then involved in a brutal coward punch outside Warrnambool’s central McDonald’s restaurant.

In the most frightening incident, just before midnight on June 14, Madison approached two men waiting for a ride home at Warrnambool Bowls Club.

Madison produced a knife from the front of his pants, held it to a man’s throat, put the tip to the victim’s stomach and then lunged at him.

The victim threw himself backwards but still suffered a cut to his nose and chin.

About 7.30pm on September 9 Madison approached a number of people outside the Warrnambool central McDonald’s restaurant. 

He king-hit one man to the face, knocking him unconscious, then kicked him three or four times and punched him while he was unconscious. 

Madison then pulled out a knife and threatened a young mother who was with her 18-month-old son.

Defence counsel Kiernan Celestina said his client had issues with alcohol and drugs and was “aggro” during the offending. 

He submitted that due to time served, a residential Aboriginal program in Gippsland would best suit his client’s rehabilitation. 

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kevin Mullins said Madison had a prior court appearance for a serious assault and on three occasions had gone “hauntingly close to taking someone else’s life”.