Ben Jones, 34, and his co-accused were at the Gurwood Street Woolworths on March 29 when the victim entered the supermarket. 

The pair chased the victim out of the store and Jones’s co-accused pushed him into a garden bed and started punching him in the face, leaving him with cuts to his nose and lip. 

When the victim was on the ground after already having taken a series of blows, Jones proceeded to punch him in the face. 

The victim later went to the police station to report the incident and received a call from Jones.

He put the phone on loud speaker just in time for police to hear Jones say “I’m going to put a bullet in your head, you dog”. 

Jones faced Wagga Local Court for sentencing on Tuesday after pleading guilty to common assault and intimidation. 

His lawyer, David Barron, conceded that the violent attack was a very serious matter. 

“It sounds like a terrible situation, and it would have been very confronting for the victims and any other members of the public who were present at the time,” Mr Barron said. 

"The violence involved is something that he needs to address, but that's largely linked with his drug use – he makes very poor choices when under the influence, so he's got to address that issue." 

Magistrate Christopher Halburd cited Jones’s lengthy criminal history, most of which related to drugs and violence. 

“You've received custodial penalties in the past for common assaults... and, despite that, you’ve committed these offences,” Mr Halburd said.

"He’d already suffered a two centimetre laceration to the bridge of his nose, and it was after that that you elected to punch him in the face with a closed fist." 

However, the magistrate said it was Jones’s threats to kill the victim after the violent assault that was particularly disturbing. 

"That is an offence that carries five years in the District Court – it’s a very serious offence,” Mr Halburd said.

"In my view, no sentence other than full-time imprisonment is appropriate.” 

Jones was sentenced to eight months’ jail with a non-parole period of four months; given that he has been held in custody since April, he will be eligible for parole just next month. 

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