Zack Gutsell, 23, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, after earlier pleading guilty to burglary, receiving, possessing cannabis, assault, speaking threateningly, theft, possessing an offensive weapon and possessing instruments for burglary.
The court heard that on September 2 Gutsell went to a Waikouaiti address and began rattling the door handle.
A woman was home, so Gutsell targeted a neighbouring house.
He spent 90 minutes ransacking the property, taking personal items, including jewellery, mail, a passport and prescription medication.
Next to photos of the victim in a room, he wrote on the wall: "So Sory Luv, U really are beautiful. 2 bad the world f.... you".
While on bail for that offending, Gutsell tried to steal a can of beer from Pak’nSave supermarket.
Security officers stopped him before he became aggressive and left the supermarket.
When Gutsell noticed the staff were following him he turned around and yelled "I’ll stab your whole f...... family", then started swinging his arms towards the man.
On October 1, Gutsell was in Cumberland St yelling and screaming at members of the public and hitting signs with a softball bat and a hammer.
He was grossly intoxicated "to the point where [he] could not be interviewed by police", the court heard.
Yesterday, Judge David Robinson acknowledged the defendant had an issue with alcohol, which contributed to his offending.
Gutsell had no prior convictions in New Zealand, but had been jailed in Australia for family violence offending.
Judge Robinson thought the defendant was remorseful and wanted to change.
"This could be a turning point for you. You realise that it’s the various substances you abuse that lead you to offend," he said.
"You have done all you can to move yourself on from this offending."
In a statement to the court, the victims said coming home to find their house a mess was "horrifying".
The woman found the writing on the wall "really invasive" and it "impacted her sense of safety within the home", the court heard.
Judge Robinson sentenced Gutsell to four months’ home detention after taking into account the eight months he had already spent in custody on remand.
"You need to do everything you can to take advantage of this situation," the judge told Gutsell.
"This is the best chance you’re ever going to get."
