Armed Manjimup man threatened to ‘belt’ neighbour and burn house down

A Manjimup man who threatened to “belt” his neighbour and burn their house down also armed himself with an axe handle, a court has been told. Ivan Meneghetti, 53, appeared at the Manjimup Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he faced three charges relating to an incident at his Quinninup property on July 2. He pleaded guilty to arming himself with an axe on that day and admitted to making threats and behaving in a disorderly manner. The court was told the ordeal started in the afternoon when Meneghetti began verbally abusing his next door neighbour before returning to his property, where he threw several items around. He continued to abuse the victim — who was talking to another neighbour — before brandishing a blue fibreglass axe handle and threatening the victim, saying “don’t look at me, I’ll f...... belt you” and “come here, I’ll f...ing belt you”. The victim then attempted to calm Meneghetti down but the 53-year-old made more threats to “burn your f...... house down, c...”. The court was Meneghetti had been grieving the loss of a close friend, had been heavily drinking at the time of the incident and suffered from depression and anxiety. Magistrate Stephen Butcher warned Meneghetti the charges were so serious that a jail term could be on the cards. Instead, Mr Butcher handed down a $500 fine for the disorderly behaviour charge and a global fine of $1200 for the other two. Meneghetti was also ordered to pay $156 in court costs.