Daniel Jason Byrne, 26, previously of Price Place, Warrnambool, and now of Fulham Prison, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool County Court yesterday to using a unregistered firearm, attempting to pervert the course of justice and nine driving offences including drink-driving (.039), unlicensed driving and dangerous driving.

Judge Wendy Wilmoth decided to have Byrne assessed by a psychiatrist after a hearing was told he may have undiagnosed issues. He will next appear in Melbourne on June 5.

Crown prosecutor Diana Piekusis said that on June 21 last year, Byrne drove to the Your Break Pool Hall in Liebig Street despite having an expired P-plate licence.

His station wagon’s brakes were faulty and had to be pumped to work to about 10 per cent of capacity.

Byrne had gone to Cactus Jam, the Seanchai Irish Pub and Your Break where he drank mid-strength beers and a couple of shots of alcohol. 

He had left Your Break, got into his car and then drove north in Liebig Street, turned right into Lava Street at the roundabout, where he accelerated, causing his tyres to screech and sparks to fly from the wheels.

He had lost control and collided with two parked cars outside the Victoria Hotel.

The impact of the crash pushed one car onto the footpath, causing major rear-end damage to the vehicle.

After the crash, Byrne had attempted to do a U-turn but collided with another parked car.

That car was also forced onto the footpath as he accelerated in panic. The impact caused substantial rear-end damage to the parked car.

Insurance companies have claimed restitution of almost $14,000. Byrne then drove off, crossing Raglan Parade before dumping his car and reporting it stolen. 

That story unravelled when friends didn’t back his version of events.

However, he stuck to the story and was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice after making a signed statement to police.

Police also seized Byrne’s phone and found a video of him firing an unregistered orange gun, which led to a firearms charge.

Defence counsel Marcus Langlois said that Byrne had recently been released from jail,  and after drinking it was a safe bet that his client would be involved in something like what happened.

He described Byrne’s attempts to stick to his story as a futile exercise.

The barrister said Byrne’s life had gone off the rails after the break-up of a relationship, but his client continued to contact the woman despite and intervention order which resulted in two terms in jail.