Howlong man handed jail term in the community for crime spree earlier this month

A light black smudge below his left eye was pointed out to magistrate Melissa Humphreys when Rick James Collins appeared for sentencing.

Defence lawyer Rohan Harrison said the black eye, which was considerably darker when he appeared early last week, was indicative of the challenges he endured in custody.

Collins' offending included stealing a car in Mildura, after his ex-wife kicked him out during a contact visit with his children, and driving it to Oaklands, where he torched the Ford Falcon when it ran out of fuel.

He did the same with two other vehicles - the keys, Ms Humphreys said, were left inside both vehicles by the owners - with one disposed of in the Murray River in Howlong.

"They are serious criminal offences," she said of the charges related to the vehicles.

Ms Humphrey, on jailing him for 15 months, to be served in the community by way of an intensive corrections order, said Collins continued to have trouble with illicit drugs.

She said he had a lengthy criminal record that did not assist him "but not one listed with matters of dishonesty".

Rather, his previous offending included mainly domestic violence, driving and firearms convictions.

Ms Humphreys said the threshold for a jail term clearly had been crossed, but in his favour was his remorse and the fact he was "committed to do better in the community".

Earlier, Mr Harrison said Collins had done well under supervision on community corrections orders in the past.

"He did what he was told to do," he said.

"He's still someone who when confronted with the allegations was very, very remorseful."

Collins, 31, pleaded guilty on August 14 to damage property by fire or explosion, possess property stolen outside of NSW, two charges of take or drive conveyance without consent of owner, possess a prohibited drug and goods suspected stolen in or on premises.

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The court heard previously that Collins was in Mildura on August 5 to see his ex-wife and three children before that ended in an argument.

Collins then took the Ford that he drove as far as Oaklands, where it ran out of fuel, in Buller Street the next day about 2.40am.

He torched the car, in an act that Ms Humphreys said represented the more serious part of his offending.

Collins then took a Holden Rodeo dual-cab ute, with the keys inside, and drove this to the Pearce Street, Howlong, home of a friend who had invited the previously homeless man to stay.

He and another unknown friend stripped the ute of parts, including a roof rack, a stereo, a dual-battery system and a refrigerator, property that was later recovered - with other stolen items - in a shed.

Collins later drove the ute to the Quat Quatta Forest Reserve near Howlong to collect firewood, but abandoned the vehicle after it got bogged.

On August 10, Collins walked along the Riverina Highway, near Marramook Lane, to a farming property, where he found a vehicle with the keys also inside.

A short time later he drove to Memorial Park, Howlong, where he propped "a large length of steel" against the accelerator and the back window, the vehicle driving into the Murray River to the top of the engine.

When later arrested by police, Collins had a vial of testosterone in one of his pockets and was carrying a small quantity of methamphetamine.

Collins was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work, must abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs and must take part in rehabilitation targeting alcohol and drug use as directed.

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