Damien Thomas Andy, 39, appeared in the ACT Supreme Court on Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary, property damage and theft.

The court heard about mid-morning on September 3 last year, Andy and three others smashed through the front door of the victim's home in Taylor, triggering the woman to flee with her children.

Andy was not armed with a weapon, but the others allegedly had sticks or baseball bats and used them to smash the place up.

They also yelled threats and abuse at the woman before Andy stole an Xbox One and a glass bong.

The quartet left in his Holden Commodore after police were called.

In court, Crown prosecutor Marina Lucero read the mother's victim impact statement.

"One year later and I am still having nightmares of the offender," the statement reads.

"One year later and my family is still suffering the effects. One year later and I am still struggling to return to normality."

The mother said one of the children developed a health issue while the other had nightmares and could not go near men for months afterwards.

"We spent the week following the incident staying elsewhere as we couldn't find the courage to go home," the impact statement reads.

"I now suffer from mental health issues."

The woman said when she was home alone, she felt paranoid and kept her doors locked.

"These fears have been debilitating as I'm unable to participate in normal parental duties," she said.

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The court heard CCTV at Andy's place captured him putting a baseball bat in his car less than one hour before the offending.

It also showed him leaving then coming back home with the Xbox and bong in view.

Police searched his house following the incident and found the stolen items while forensic analyses also matched a baseball bat, paint samples and DNA to the crime scene.

Chief Justice Helen Murrell said it was "a terrifying incident for the victim as it was intended to be".

"[The] sticks and baseball bats were to smash up the place - that was presumably on the basis the occupants would be there or find the place smashed up," she said.

Chief Justice Murrell said while Andy did not do most of the damage, he was still "well implicated" in it because he provided some of the weapons and he was the driver.

She described his crimes as being planned "but by the same token, the offence was not well thought through" because he did not disguise himself.

"Photos tendered showed the damage was multifaceted, extensive and gratuitous," the judge said.

Andy asked via his lawyer, Jonathan Cooper, to be sentenced to full-time jail.

However, Chief Justice Murrell adjourned the sentencing for the burglary and property damage to allow him to consider a sentence with a drug and alcohol treatment order instead to help him rehabilitate.

She said she regarded his "very strong personal circumstances" that includes a "profound childhood disadvantage".

"I have no doubt whatsoever that the offender has since childhood suffered the impacts of profound disadvantage and they will continue to impact upon him," Chief Justice Murrell said.

For the theft, she sentenced Andy, who the court heard had a significant NSW criminal history of violence, to one-month jail backdated to August 24 to account for his 17 days' pre-sentence custody.

He will be remanded in custody until his next appearance in February, which the judge said would be adequate time behind bars should he be ultimately given a drug- and alcohol-based jail term.

She indicated the overall term would be 28 months with a non-parole period of 15 months if Andy still prefers an ordinary jail term, otherwise the judge would review her indicated sentence.

Two of the other alleged offenders will face trial later this month while another has not yet been identified by police.

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