A robber who punched a delivery man before stealing his wallet and almost $2,000 of electronic goods has been jailed for three years.

Kevin Butterfield, 31, gave Nelson Pavao a black eye during the incident, which happened as the victim installed audio-video systems at a condominium complex on Middle Road, Southampton.

The defendant admitted a charge of committing robbery with violence during a previous court appearance.

Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale told his Supreme Court sentencing hearing on Monday that Butterfield knocked on the door of the unit where Mr. Pavao, an audio-video installer for M and M International, was working on May 25 last year.

He complained that his car was overheating, and Mr. Pavao handed him a bottle to fill with water.

However, said Ms Tyndale, Mr. Pavao became suspicious about Butterfield's behaviour and noted down his car registration number.

The accused engaged Mr. Pavao in a ten-minute conversation as he went through the motions of attending to his car, then left, only to return shortly afterward.

Ms Tyndale said Butterfield approached his victim and shouted out "hey bro, could I see that TV?" — referring to a set nearby — and then punched him in the right eye without any warning or provocation.

He went on to yell "in a menacing and threatening manner" while Mr. Pavao lay on the ground before taking his wallet, which contained his $620 weekly pay cheque, plus a Panasonic TV, mini system and DVD player, and making off.

The total haul, said Ms Tyndale, was $2,089.

Mr. Pavao alerted his employer and the Police, and received hospital treatment for swelling and bruising.

Butterfield was arrested the following day and claimed in a Police interview that the victim gave him the electronic goods to sell to pay a drug debt.

The court heard Butterfield has previous convictions including possession of drug equipment, attempting to pervert the course of justice, receiving a stolen cycle and stealing cases of whisky and rum.

Ms Tyndale added that Butterfield has abused drugs — primarily heroin — for 17 years and admitted committing this offence to feed his habit.

In a statement to the court, Mr. Pavao's employer said he lost earnings in excess of $3,000 due to 20 days off work because of his injuries.

Charles Richardson, defending Butterfield, criticised the state of rehabilitation for drug abusers in the criminal justice system.

Arguing that jailing Butterfield for a long period of time would do no good, he asked Puisne Justice Carlisle Greaves to give his client enough time in jail to have treatment, followed by probation.

Butterfield apologised to the court. Mr. Justice Greaves ordered that he should complete three years of probation following his prison sentence.