A MAN has been sentenced to at least 15 months' jail for striking his neighbour on his head and threatening to kill him after they argued about the royal wedding last year.
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Michael Gerrard Bresnan, of Kooringal, appeared in Wagga District Court after pleading guilty to one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Court documents state that the 64-year-old Bresnan was drinking with his neighbour in mid-May last year when Bresnan suggested they watch Prince Harry tie the knot with Meghan Markle.
An argument ensued between the two men before the victim pulled Bresnan's television out of its socket, left the house briefly, then came back to smash the screen.
In court on Thursday, defence barrister Michael King argued for leniency, saying Bresnan was entitled to peace in his own home.
"He [the victim] went back over to the offender's house and entered it. Unwelcomed and unauthorised," Mr King said.
"It was in those circumstances that the offender picked up a set of bicycle handles and hit the victim on the head twice."
Mr King also said there were questions about why the victim may have objected to watching the wedding.
"As an Afghan, it was perhaps because the Brits were one of the long lines of invaders to his country," Mr King said.
"We don't know what quite set [the victim] off, but we do know that he became quite upset about the royal wedding."
However, Crown prosecutor Andrew Hanshaw dismissed the argument that the victim was the aggressor.
"Both seemed to be passionate and were getting fired up about this royal wedding," Mr Hanshaw said.
"The matter progresses a bit further where we have the offender pursuing the victim out of the house, still holding the handlebars, yelling out that he's going to kill him and saying that on a number of occasions."
Mr Hanshaw also said there is no evidence to suggest that the incident happened because "of some royal serving in Afghanistan".
To which Judge Gordon Lerve said: "Mere speculation, Mr Crown."
"I'm proposing to say nothing about that."
While Judge Lerve said the provocation reduced Bresnan's moral culpability, he said the offender's criminal record did not entitle him to any leniency.
Bresnan also gave evidence in court about his troubled upbringing and criminal record.
Since he has been in custody for 14 months pre-sentence, he will be eligible for nine months of parole in about three weeks.