G'bah woman grabbed knife to protect herself

"STOP your drinking": A magistrate has issued a stern warning to a 61-year-old after an incident at a Goonellabah home.

A man has been warned by a Lismore magistrate to stay away from alcohol. Picture: Scott Powick

HE SHOULD not have been at the woman's Goonellabah home.

Even though the couple had been in an on-and-off relationship for 30 years, he was banned from visiting her or contacting her, except through a lawyer.

She invited him over anyway on the night of November 2 last year - he often helped her with money, so she could pay her rent.

They spent the evening together and had a few too many drinks.

But then it all went horribly wrong.

There was an "incident" and police were called to the home the next morning.

By the time they arrived, the woman was holding a knife to protect herself.

The 61-year-old man tried to leave the house but he was arrested and spent the next two months at the Cessnock Correctional Centre.

This week he appeared in Lismore Local Court via video-link, where his solicitor, Binnie O'Dwyer, said her client was keen to change his ways and stop drinking.

She said he had "probably one of the longest (criminal records) she'd ever encountered, but he had since "had time to reflect".

"He is regretful that what happened did happen," Ms O'Dwyer said.

"He says he really does want to stay off the grog."

Magistrate David Heilpern sentenced the man to two months' prison, backdated to his time of arrest.

"Sir, you must be getting too old for this," Mr Heilpern said.

The man replied: "Yeah".

"It does seem correct that you were there with her permission (but) you shouldn't have been there," Mr Heilpern said.

"You've been in and out of jail all your life and you know what you need to do to stop that, and that's to stop your drinking."