SLAMMING doors, throwing chairs and headbutting walls inside a recruitment agency were among the tactics used by a man to try and intimidate staff into giving him money, a court has heard.
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Rodney George Wise, 42, of Rocket Street, Bathurst will spend the next 15 months behind bars after he pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court to two counts of intimidation.
Court documents state a "hostile and argumentative" Wise called Joblink Plus in Bathurst at 10.30am on April 26, 2023 to ask about his payment being stopped after he skipped an appointment.
"You better put my (expletive) payments on or else," Wise said to a woman over the phone at Joblink Plus.
Once the victim ended the call, Wise phoned the office until a second person answered.
"What do I have to do (expletive)?" Wise yelled to the second victim.
"I am going to come down there and (expletive) you up."
After multiple attempts at trying to calm Wise down, the man hung up.
The court heard Wise went to the office on George Street about five minutes later, slamming the door closed as he made his way in.
Wise walked up to one of the victim's desks and thumped his hands on the table.
"Put my payment back on, I am not going to work for no (expletive) and no (expletive) is going to employ me," Wise said.
Wise threw a chair before he headbutted an internal door inside of the office.
"I will smash you," Wise said as he hit the windows.
As he was leaving, Wise swung the front door open and repeated his threat: "better put my payment on or else".
Both of the victim's locked the front door once Wise left.
After getting details from employees on the day of the incident, police went to a home on Rocket Street in Bathurst about 10.30am on May 17 and spoke with Wise.
He told officers he was angry at the time and made threats because he was having a "(expletive) of a day".
Sentence
A self-represented Wise told the court during sentencing on July 12, 2023 that he was frustrated at the time because of personal matters.
"I missed out on a re-connection with my daughter and I don't know when I'll get another chance," he said.
Wise shook his head as Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis told the court a community-based prison term was not suitable, and instead, "there must be a message sent to the community and Mr Wise".
"Every employee has the right to feel safe at work, just as they do in their homes and in the community," Ms Ellis said.
"Your actions, Mr Wise, were extreme."
Wise was given a non-parole period of 10 months.
He will be eligible for release on May 11, 2024.
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Jay-Anna Sleeman
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
