A GRAMPIANS man was sentenced to 117 days in prison after pleading guilty to making threats and criminal damage.
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Mark Kelly, of Halls Gap, appeared in the Stawell Magistrate's Court via an audio-video link on Tuesday, November 23, where he pled guilty to an extensive list of charges.
The court heard several charges concerning breaches of a personal safety intervention order between January 1, 2021, and April 17, 2021.
The most serious of the breaches occurred on March 20, 2021, at around 8.30pm.
After spending some time at Cato Park in Stawell, Kelly and the victim visited Stawell McDonald's, where a verbal argument occurred.
The victim and an agitated Kelly got out of the vehicle, where the latter pulled a folding knife.
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The victim told Kelly to put the knife away, which he did before walking away, and there was no further interaction.
Kelly also pleaded guilty to threatening another person after issuing threatening calls to a Northern Grampians Shire Council officer.
On April 16, 2020, the victim received reports of a serious dog attack in the Halls Gap area.
It was identified that the dog belonged to Kelly, and the council seized the dog after a third documented attack.
The victim attended the address to clear the dog, issuing a notice to Kelly which stated that the dog would become council property.
Kelly was given instructions on how to contest the matter with associated Council costs.
The notice also said the dog would be destroyed if Kelly did not respond or local laws were not followed.
After delivering this notice, the court heard that the victim received threatening phone calls to their personal and council phone numbers.
The victim told police they became increasingly fearful, and on April 20, 2020, they received a call where Kelly said, "You fucking bitch. Give my fucking dog back, you bitch".
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Further calls from Kelly were also threatening where he also said: "I know where you live" and "I am going to take you out".
Police applied for a personal safety intervention order for 12 months, including the victim's home and workplace.
In a final matter, Kelly also committed a series of criminal damage offences around Stawell throughout June and July 2021.
Some of these included breaking a sign and stand at the Stawell IGA, valued at $200, and causing $1000 worth of damage to an associate's car parked in Robinson Street, Stawell, when he smashed two panels with a hammer.
On June 28, 2021, Kelly committed a minor theft and threatening offence at Waack's Bakery in Stawell.
Kelly stole a can of Coca-Cola, and he was followed out of the store by a staff member before Kelly drew a pocket knife and told the staff member to "get the fuck away from me".
In sentencing Kelly, Magistrate Tim Walsh said the offender needed to work with rehabilitation services to help get his behaviour under control.
Magistrate Walsh convicted Kelly and sentenced him to 117 days of imprisonment, citing his time in remand awaiting the trial.
Kelly was released from custody on Tuesday, November 23.
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