Ashmont’s Reginald John Butler sentenced to jail for threatening to bash, shoot woman while children there
A 53-year-old man who threatened to burn a woman’s house down in front of her three children has been sentenced in court.
The Wagga News
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A WAGGA man has been sentenced to jail after he went to the house of a woman he didn’t know and threatened to bash and shoot her while her three children were present.
Reginald John Butler, 53, of Ashmont, appeared via video link in Wagga Local Court today after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking, common assault and unlawful entry onto enclosed lands.
Court documents state about 5.30pm on October 22 last year, Butler went to the yard of the victim’s house and began threatening her because he believed she owed him a $60,000 car.
“I’ll burn your house down, I’ll torch your car. If you call the cops, I’ll get my family down here to bash you. I’m going to shoot you,” he said.
When the victim went outside to tell him to leave, it led to a physical struggle between the two after he grabbed her arms. He had also threatened to headbutt and spit on the victim.
In a separate incident in April last year, Butler was with a woman demanding to be let in to a house in Mount Austin.
The victim, who lived nearby, heard the commotion and went over and told Butler to leave.
Butler then punched the victim once in the head, causing him to collapse on the ground, and shouted: “I’m going to get a gun, come back and shoot you and your dog”.
In court today, Butler also pleaded guilty to breaching a community corrections order.
Defence solicitor David Barron argued for leniency based on his client’s mental health issues and the recent deaths of two family members.
“He apologises for what’s happened and understands he acted in ways he should not have,” Mr Barron said.
“He’s had a lot of time to think about that. He should've had this soul searching a long time ago.”
However, Magistrate Christopher Halburd sentenced Butler to a maximum jail term of 10 months starting from when he was taken into custody in October last year.
“You’ve got a record that really doesn’t assist you,” Mr Halburd said.
“In relation to the threats you made, they’re problematic because you were on a community corrections order at the time.”
Mr Halburd said he accepted the significant losses and mental health issues that Butler was suffering from.
He also said arrangements would need to be made with the jail to allow him to attend the funeral.
With a non-parole period of five months, Butler will be eligible for early release on March 21. He was found to have special circumstances and will undergo rehabilitation.