Shaun Alan Jones, 28, of Lone Pine Avenue, pleaded guilty to damaging property, resisting police and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The victim was at home with his family on the evening of July 23 when he heard a noise in the street and went to investigate.

He saw a real estate sign in his front yard lying on the ground and Jones trying to rip the lid off a neighbour’s mailbox.

The victim asked Jones what he was doing and Jones replied “I’m drunk”.

After the victim told him to go away, Jones punched him to the jaw and knocked him to the ground.

The victim grabbed a wooden picket from the real estate sign to protect himself.

During a struggle, the end of the stick gouged the victim in the neck, causing bleeding.

A neighbour appeared after the victim had managed to wrestle Jones to the ground.

After pleading to get up, Jones exchanged punches with the neighbour.

Jones struggled with police when they arrived to arrest him.

He later told police he had consumed at least a bottle of bourbon that day.

Solicitor Mason Manwaring said his client would benefit from ongoing supervision to help him deal with the issues affecting his life.

“Mr Jones is an intelligent person ... but his life seems to be marred with the use of both illicit and non-illicit substances. It’s quite a serious series of assaults and it’s probably more by luck than design that the victims weren’t injured more than they were,” he said.

Mr Lucas sentenced Jones to a 12-month suspended term of imprisonment and ordered him to complete 100 hours of community service.

“You’re before the court for perhaps one of the more serious assault matters I have seen in my time in Orange,” he said.