A Dubbo father who threatened to burn his neighbour's house down after she said she was going to report his family dog to a council ranger, has fronted court.
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Taio Anthony Bayada, 32, and his neighbour of about four years had ongoing heated arguments over the years for various reasons, police said.
However in the afternoon of August 2 this year tensions boiled over about his dog repeatedly entering his neighbour's property.
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The woman told Bayada she had seen his unrestrained dog chase an unknown child down the street and she was going to report it to a council ranger.
Bayada became aggressive and said "you do that and I will burn your f--king house down".
The woman was standing at the front of her property with her adult son and daughter and two young grandchildren when he said this, police said.
Bayada then began repeatedly calling his neighbour a "c--t", before she told him she was going to call police.
Police arrived at 9.40pm and spoke to the neighbour who detailed her version of events, before they went next door and spoke to Bayada.
He admitted to threatening to burn his neighbour's house down and said to police it was the first thing that came to his head.
Bayada appeared in Dubbo Local Court pleading guilty to a charge of intimidation.
Defence lawyer Joy Kirby said the incident was born out of having the family dog taken, and argued the offence sat at the lower end as there were no other threats made beyond the initial statement.
She told the court her client had "some record" but hadn't offended since 2014 and no offences of this nature. The court heard the father of seven was dealing with a number of mental health challenges, which he was now seeking support for.
Ms Kirby said tensions between the neighbours were a "two-way street" and her client had taken on board police advice to record incidents rather than react to them.
While Magistrate Phillip Stewart noted Bayada's criminal record didn't assist him, he accepted he had some mental health issues he was now seeking treatment for.
Bayada was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order - with a special condition to undertake counselling and take medication as prescribed.
"There's positive ways of dealing with things without resorting to making threats," he said.
"Keep going with treatment and hopefully we won't see you again."
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
