Dennis Allan John Ferguson, also known as Dennis Gibbs, appeared before Wagga Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a string of offences.

According to court documents, the Mount Austin resident helped himself to a potato bake at a Lake Albert shop on October 23 and put it down his pants.

The shop owner recognised him as the man who had stolen a hot chicken earlier in the week and confronted him, asking Ferguson to pay for the items.

The 44-year-old refused and started yelling and swearing at the owner while raising his fists. The owner told police they feared they would be assaulted.

After he walked out of the shop, the owner followed him outside at which point Ferguson threatened him again.

"I will be back, and I'm going to burn this f--king place down, and then I'm going to put 20 bullets in all you c--ts," Ferguson said.

The shop owner became fearful that Ferguson would return to harm staff or burn the shop down so left him alone.

As Ferguson walked off, he threw the potato bake back at the shop.

While on bail for that matter, he stole a 10-pack of Jim Bean cans from a liquor store in central Wagga on November 16.

After Ferguson paid for a $6 bottle of liquor, the employee checked CCTV footage as they recognised he had previously been banned.

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They called police, officers recognised Ferguson on the CCTV footage and later arrested him during a vehicle stop on Kincaid Street.

While being taken to the police station, he became verbally abusive saying to an officer: "I'll give you something to arrest me for, I'll headbutt you".

He then spat at the officer, which hit him in the chest.

Magistrate Christopher Halburd said because Ferguson had not pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, he was not entitled to the full discount.

The magistrate also added that spitting at police was a serious offence at the best of times, but to do it during a pandemic that "brought the world to a standstill" was just "mind-boggling".

In determining the penalty during sentencing, Magistrate Halburd said he considered the fact Ferguson had experienced a deprived upbringing, and was in need of rehabilitation.

However, he said Ferguson's record did not entitle him to any leniency.

Ferguson was sentenced to 16 months in jail, with a non-parole period of nine months. The sentence was backdated to November, meaning Ferguson will be eligible for release in August.