Brett James Smith jailed for knife-wielding home invasion and sexual assault, 10 years after identical crime

A MAN who broke into his former girlfriend’s home, threatened her with a knife, sexually assaulted her and sparked a police siege has been jailed — 10 years after almost identical crimes.

A MAN who broke into his former girlfriend’s home, threatened her with a knife, sexually assaulted her and sparked a police siege has been jailed — 10 years after almost identical crimes.

Brett James Smith attacked and terrorised the woman — who had taken an intervention order out against him — in February this year, telling her not to scream or he would kill her son, 4.

Just four months earlier, he had completed an almost decade-long sentence for taking a different woman hostage in her home for 15 hours and raping her while armed with a knife.

That crime, in 2006, had also been committed within months of completing a jail term.

In sentencing, District Court Judge Gordon Barrett said Smith’s “disturbing criminal history” deserved no less than a further seven years behind bars.

“You told (doctors) that, in the few months you were out of prison, you attended sessions with a psychologist to deal with your problems with domestic violence,” he said.

“It is plain that counselling has been completely unsuccessful.”

Smith, 45, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to aggravated serious criminal trespass, aggravated assault and indecent assault.

Judge Barrett said those offences were committed against a woman who formed a relationship with Smith after his release.

“The relationship soon soured (as) you reverted to taking drugs and were dishonest and controlling,” he said.

He said Smith responded first with death threats, then by assuming a false identity and calling the woman “telling her you were dead”.

When she entered her home one night after work, Smith was already inside.

“You grabbed by you from behind (and) told her not to scream or you would kill her four-year-old son ... you held a knife to her (and) told her that you would be staying the night,” he said.

Judge Barrett said the woman managed to escape and call the police — sparking “a brief siege” — but only after Smith had sexually assaulted her.

“The experience was quite a terrifying one for the woman,” he said.

He said the crime mirrored Smith’s offending in 2006, following a relationship that “unravelled because of the many lies you were telling” his then-partner.

“You told her that you were flying out to New Zealand but when she got home one night you were inside with a knife,” he said.

“You threatened her with it, you imprisoned her for 15 hours in her house and, during that time, you raped her three times.

“You have a disturbing criminal history.”

Judge Barrett said he would have jailed Smith for 10 years if not for his guilty pleas, and imposed a five-year non-parole period.

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