A young Wangaratta father has been applauded for turning his life around after a violent drug-crazed episode saw him choke his mother and “terrify” those closest to him. The 20-year-old appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday to plead guilty to his offending, with his mother and aunty embracing him as he heard his judgement. The court was told that on 9 August 2025 the defendant threatened self-harm in front of his mother at their Wangaratta home after she refused to buy him cannabis he couldn’t afford. He grabbed his car keys and tried to drive away while being held back by his mother, who feared he would get into the car and harm himself. He broke a glass bottle and threatened his mother with it, throwing it and narrowly missing her. His mum went to inspect a cut on his finger, when he grabbed her throat and strangled her for around 20 seconds. Afterwards he used garden tools to further vent his anger and damage property at the house. The man’s pregnant partner heard the altercation from inside the house and called police and a safety notice was issued barring the accused from contacting his mother. After a mental health assessment at the Wangaratta Police Station he was released into the care of his aunty. While waiting for her, the man fled and contacted his partner, threatening self-harm if he didn’t get drugs. He spent the night in Wangaratta hospital and made more self-harm threats to his aunty the next day, wanting to go back to his house. Police were called to another argument the next day between the accused and his mother, grandmother and partner. The man was arrested and taken into custody until he was bailed at court on 11 August. Since then the court heard of the man’s remorse and accountability for his actions, thanking Wangaratta police officers at the station following his release and beginning his drug and behavioural rehab. Defence counsel Dayna Powell said her client, and father of one month, hasn’t taken any drugs since his offending and through attendance with psychologists, his mental health had improved dramatically. The man's mum addressed the court and said she was proud of her only son, who had made a big mistake, but the most of his second chance. “The love you see in his eyes makes me a very happy mum and nana,” she said. Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Stuart Pritchard said the man’s mother’s support for the accused “tipped the scale” towards his benefit. Magistrate Megan Casey said it was frightening to think the man’s life had got to a point where he was taking out his anger on those he loved the most. “It must have been terrifying for your mum and terrifying for your aunty,” she said. “They’re really serious charges and if you come back here with charges like that, you’ll likely be in custody.” But Magistrate Casey gave full credit to the defendant for doing the work within himself to turn his habits around, and sentenced him on a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction. “The journey you’ve gone on since then has been a really positive one.” “The person standing before me today is completely different to the one who was standing here in August."
