Three people have been sentenced to prison after they used knives to threaten victims inside a Dubbo home.
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Jason Gilkes, 22, Marissa Hooper, 34, and Ricky James Fernando, 35, pleaded guilty to intimidation with intention to cause fear for harm and remaining inside a building with the intention to commit intimidation.
The trio were accompanied by one more person who was not charged.
Court documents state the incident took place about 6am on January 22 last year. The group went into the home of a female victim known to Hooper, and demanded money.
The female victim lived alone on Alcheringa Street but was joined by the male victim on the evening of January 21 for an overnight stay.
The woman woke up to loud knocking at the front door the next morning. When she answered the door she saw Hooper standing with three men. One of them, in a grey jumper, asked the woman where the man was, referring to the male victim.
"He's not here," she said, and allowed them to enter the premises a short time later.
The court was told the male victim called triple zero at this point. Once inside, the offenders realised the man was home and an argument erupted between them and the female victim.
"Get out... I'm calling the police," she said, at which point all three men pulled out knives, approximately 10 to 15 centimetres in length.
Police said the group then walked past her and into the bedroom where the male victim was and the female victim heard their conversation.
"I want my money back," Hooper said. "Where's my money you mutt?"
"I only have $100 but I get paid today," the male victim said. "Brother, I'm sorry, I get paid today."
He walked out of the room followed by the offenders. Police arrived shortly and the female victim went to the front door to speak with officers when they asked her what was going on.
"I don't know, they're in there by themselves... Marissa and the boys," she said.
Police went into the lounge room, saw co-offender Fernando seated on the couch. While they spoke to him inside the house another officer said "there's two running out the back."
Officers searched the rest of the house and heard a noise from the main bathroom, then Hooper walked out.
Police asked Fernando to wait outside the house, but he ran down the street. As he jumped the fence, his bag got caught and police later seized the item.
Hooper also fled by this time and police drove into O'Donnell Street, parallel to Alcheringa Street to look for her. This is when they saw two men running into the backyard of a property.
Police found the pair, Jason Gilkes and a man who was not charged, hiding behind the fence on Leavers Street. They were both arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station.
Oofficers returned to the scene of the crime and searched the premises. They found a knife on the kitchen bench, a knife in the lounge room, and a fold-able knife with a spoon end.
Gilkes, a resident of Aldrin Avenue appeared in Dubbo Local Court via audio visual link, on February 9 this year. His solicitor Thomas Payne, asked if he would like to be part of the new Drug Court program.
"I just want to get sentenced," Gilkes said.
Mr Payne then told the court his client was a man "afflicted" with mental health and drug addiction issues and hoped the court would find special circumstances relevant in this case.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pointed to Gilkes' sentence assessment report (SAR) which stated he had shown no remorse.
"No insight, lack of any real understanding of his impact on the victim herself," the DPP said.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said "the positive side of things" was that Gilkes would get a 25 per cent discount off his sentence for pleading guilty early on. Additionally, due to special circumstances the ratio from parole to non-parole period in jail was also adjusted.
"The negative side of things is reading the SAR... a female opened the door, she's allowed you in, three of you produced knives, it would have been extremely confronting for her to be faced with the three of you, to say the least," Mr Wilson told Gilkes.
"It says here you take no responsibility for your behaviour, place blame on the substance abuse and the negative encouragement from other two.
"[You] refused to engage in any meaningful discussion in relation to your participation in the offending."
The magistrate also noted that Mr Payne briefly spoke to Gilkes' about the Drug Court and "doing something about drugs".
"The report says you do not believe you require any intervention in relation to your drug use. That is surprising," Mr Wilson said.
"It's acknowledged both offences cross the threshold, and there's no other alternative than full-time imprisonment."
Gilkes was sentenced to 18 months in jail starting from April 22, 2022 and expiring on October 21, 2023. He will be eligible for parole on April 21, 2023.
Co-offender Ricky Fernando appeared in court on the same date. He was also sentenced to prison for 18 months, starting from July 6, 2022 to January 5, 2024. Fernando will be released to parole on July 5 this year.
Third co-offender Marissa Hooper appeared in court on February 16 this year and was sentenced to a full-time custodial sentence. Originally from Braun Avenue, Dubbo, the court heard she would be relocating to Mount Druitt.
"I sentenced the other two co-accused... there has to be parity in the sentences," Mr Wilson said.
He found that Hooper, who was on strict bail last year, had made "very significant inroads" and read a "very positive" letter about her progress.
"You've been able to attain custody of your children and you're headed towards full-time involvement in changing your ways," he said.
Hooper was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment to be served by way of an intensive correction order in the community. She will be under the order from February 16 to December 15 this year and must not consume any alcohol or drugs during this period.
