​Jesse James, 26, of Ocean Grove, Warrnambool, previously pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court mid last year to being a prohibited person in possession of two firearms and drug offences.

He was jailed for two-year jail term and ordered to serve at least 18 months before being eligible for parole.

This week James appealed against the severity of the jail term in the Warrnambool County Court.

Judge Felicity Hampel reduced the jail term due to James’ efforts since he has been in prison, including his completion of a 120-hour course. 

He has now been jailed for 21 months, with a minimum 12 months to serve before being eligible for parole.

Judge Hampel said James showed every sign of being a different prisoner and had engaged positively while in custody.

But, she said he would be most vulnerable when released from prison and decided on a longer parole period.

She said James had a sorry history and committed serious offences soon after being released from his last stint in prison.

Judge Hampel said that there was evidence which indicated James might be starting to mature and his efforts while currently in prison had been impressive, actively engaging in courses which would give him a better prospect of getting parole.

She said releasing James from custody without supervision would be like letting a kid loose in a lolly shop, or in his case a pharmacy. 

James was jailed for six months in March 2016 and five months in 2014.

Police officers executed a search warrant at a Warrnambool Ocean Grove address on May 26 last year and found James' girlfriend asleep on a couch.

There was a large amount of drug paraphernalia in the house, indicating heavy drug use and possibly drug dealing.

A sawn-off .22 calibre rifle was found wrapped in a hoodie under the couch where the woman was sleeping.

There was also a variety of prescription medication, three shotgun shells and five rounds of .22 ammunition, a vial of GHB and a driver’s licence, bank card and passport which did not belong to the woman or James.

There was also a set of keys on a coffee table which fitted a Commodore sedan parked out the front of the home.

In the car were men's and women's clothes, an iPad with James' fingerprints on it and a loaded sawn-off single barrel shotgun.

Police were able to trace the Warrnambool owner of the shotgun, who did not realise the firearm had been stolen.