A WARRNAMBOOL man who sparked a police chase and was found with a large amount of amphetamine and jewellery in his piano has been jailed for 10 months.
Maxwell David Brown, 57, of Merri Street, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to trafficking amphetamine, reckless conduct endanger serious injury, driving while suspended, possessing a controlled weapon and dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime.
He was sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment with a minimum term of 10 months to be served. His licence was also cancelled for 12 months and items seized, including $4820.85 in cash, were forfeited.
Police said that about 1.50pm on December 21 last year officers attempted to intercept a blue Ford driven by Brown on Mortlake Road, but he tried to evade them by turning left onto Allan Street, Swan Street and Queens Road.
He then turned left onto Botanic Road, travelling at up to 90km/h in a 60km/h zone and failed to give way at the intersection of Botanic Road and Mortlake Road, forcing another vehicle to stop to avoid an accident.
Brown then headed east along Moore Street at 110km/h, crossing onto the wrong side of the road to overtake vehicles.
Brown then turned right into Tozer Road, right onto McGregors Road and right into Grafton Road, cutting corners and forcing cars off the road.
At the intersection of Grafton Road and Cramer Street he pulled over and was intercepted by police at 1.56pm. A search found $4820.85, a pocket knife and a snap-lock bag containing three grams of amphetamine hidden under the car’s centre console.
A police warrant was then executed at Brown’s Merri Street property where officers found 46 grams of amphetamine, digital scales, deal bags and jewellery valued at $20,000 suspected of being the proceeds of crime — much of it hidden in a piano.
It is understood the jewellery, some of which Brown claimed had been in his family for years, could be worth much more than has been estimated.
Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said that for the past 40 years Brown had engaged in the possession and distribution of drugs and offences of dishonesty.
A defence counsel told the court that Brown tried to avoid police because he was driving while suspended, but Mr Klestadt said the possession of about 50 grams of amphetamine was a reasonable grounds to avoid interception.
Brown also has a prior conviction for trafficking drugs in 1996, which resulted in a jail term of 39 months.
Mr Klestadt said Brown’s driving — on a Wednesday afternoon at 1.55pm just days before Christmas — was extraordinarily dangerous and had placed police officers and anyone else on the roads at risk of serious injury or death.
The magistrate said Brown was found in possession of a large amount of amphetamine, 15 times the trafficable quantity, and items associated with drug dealing.
In response to a defence counsel submission, Mr Klestadt said Brown was not being sentenced in relation to his reputation in the community — only the charges before the court.
He said the charges merited a “reasonably substantial” term of imprisonment.
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