A Portland man with "obvious" drug and alcohol issues was caught with blank prescription pads during a break-in at a Warrnambool drug facility, a court has heard.
James Harold, 32, pleaded guilty in the Koori division of Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday to offences and was jailed for five months.
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He has already served 68 days in custody on remand and will be released on a community correction order with unpaid work.
On November 3 last year, Harold and a co-accused were located by police at Warrnambool's Western Region Alcohol And Drug Centre (WRAD) after an alarm sounded about 1.30am.
Attending police found an open window on the east side of the building and observed Harold and the woman inside.
A bag located near the window contained 18 blank medical prescription pads belonging to an unknown medical practitioner and numerous cards in Harold's name.
Harold was arrested and conveyed to Warrnambool police station.
He was found in possession of a further two medical documents belonging to a WRAD doctor.
He was lodged in the cells where he intentionally blocked a sink drain, causing flooding.
Harold was later released on bail.
Then on December 26 last year, the man was at a property in Portland's Mitchell Street when an argument broke out between him and his then partner.
Things escalated, Harold grabbed a knife and threatened to kill the victim.
He then headbutted her to the face, chipping her tooth.
Harold was forcibly removed from the address by a witness.
He was later located at his property, agitated and drug and alcohol affected.
The man was hostile to police and resisted arrest.
At the time of the offending, he was on a community correction order after serving 207 days in custody for an aggravated burglary.
His criminal history also includes an unprovoked stabbing in 2019.
Magistrate Franz Holzer said the offending was serious and Harold was a high risk to community safety.
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He said the irony of the offending at WRAD was not lost with him, given Harold had "obvious" drug and alcohol issues.
"Breaking into WRAD is not only opportunistic but the irony is self-evidence," he said.
"The combination of that and the following offending is obviously troubling, given his history."
If not for his guilty plea, he would have been jailed for 14 months.
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Jessica Howard
Email: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
Email: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
