A NSW magistrate has accused the ACT's top court of effectively placing him in "handcuffs" and telling him how to sentence a serial offender.

In a court recording obtained by the ABC, Magistrate Roger Clisdell labelled the intrusion by the ACT Supreme Court as "rude" and said he did not appreciate "being told what to do by another jurisdiction", even one "higher up the food chain".

Magistrate Clisdell made the remarks during the sentencing of Jermaine Goolagong in Queanbeyan Local Court on January 16.

Mr Goolagong is a Canberra criminal who has had multiple run-ins with the law.

A day before he appeared in the Queanbeyan court, Mr Goolagong had been in front of the ACT Drug Court — a therapeutic court operating within the Supreme Court — where he was to be sentenced for stealing cars.

Instead of facing jail time, Mr Goolagong had asked to be sent to residential rehabilitation in New South Wales.

But Mr Goolagong said he feared NSW Police would arrest and detain him, because he had an outstanding warrant in the state — issued for failing to appear in the NSW court while he was in Canberra's jail, the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

In a separate audio recording obtained by the ABC, Acting Justice Lorraine Walker can be heard granting Mr Goolagong bail for a day, to go to NSW to clear up the other matter, before directing him to appear before her again the following week for sentencing.

But she warned Mr Goolagong there was a chance he could be locked up in NSW.

"I've asked the registrar of this court to contact the Queanbeyan Local Court to let them know that you're going to go there tomorrow to see if they can finish your matter up there," Acting Justice Walker said.

"We don't know for sure what they'll do, because the magistrate there can do whatever … he thinks is appropriate.

"But what we're hoping will happen is it'll be finalised and then you can come back and we can move forward with your ACT matters without anything else still hanging over your head."

Supreme Court registrar Amanda Nuttall then emailed the Queanbeyan court, explaining Mr Goolagong was in custody on charges in the ACT and had been assessed as suitable for drug-and-alcohol sentencing.

"Depending on the outcome of the sentencing before the NSW Local Court, the bail order requires Mr Goolagong to be returned to the custody of [the ACT's prison]," she said.

"It is the court's understanding that there is a residential rehabilitation placement for Mr Goolagong in NSW."

'But what if I lock him up?'

When the matter arrived before Magistrate Clisdell, he expressed surprise at the unusual situation, uttering "How on earth did...", before trailing off and appearing to chuckle slightly.

Though minutes later, Magistrate Clisdell's apparent initial amusement turned to frustration.

"It appears the ACT Supreme Court is attempting to direct me as to how I will sentence Mr Goolagong," Mr Clisdell said.

"… that sort of binds me a little bit, doesn't it? Puts me under a bit of pressure."

Magistrate Clisdell also questioned what would happen if he went against the ACT Supreme Court's wishes and sentenced Mr Goolagong to jail.

"But what if I lock him up? That's gonna upset the applecart," he said.

"What the Supreme Court in the ACT are trying to do is say, 'Listen here little Magistrate Clisdell, you do as you're told … you give him an order that allows him to come back here so we can deal with him.'

"I don't know that I'm terribly excited about being told what to do by another jurisdiction even if they're higher up the food chain.

"It's a bit rude. That's what they're effectively doing, they're saying to me: 'You finalise this and let him go without any sentence.'"

Magistrate Clisdell ultimately recalled the warrant and sentenced Mr Goolagong to a three-year community corrections order, with conditions he go to rehab and not use drugs.

But the magistrate told the Queanbeyan court he had "handcuffs on, so I better do as I'm told".

"If I was to be courageous enough to do something other than that, I don't think my name would be anything but mud in that other jurisdiction," he said.

Before making his decision to grant Mr Goolagong a non-custodial sentence, Magistrate Clisdell said "Well, this will be a good story to tell at the next conference".