David Paul Coolwell, 27, of Laguna Court in Portland, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to cannabis trafficking for almost 12 months and dishonest and driving offences.

Magistrate Peter Mellas rejected 39 days already served was enough of a penalty.

He told Coolwell he would jail him for longer if he didn't agree to a community corrections order. 

Coolwell was placed on a 12-month order with treatment and rehabilitation conditions for drugs and mental health.

He must complete 120 hours of community work.

The magistrate warned Coolwell he would return to prison if he failed to comply with the order. 

"You’re in your mid-20s and building up a significant prior history. Most, until now, has been low-level offending," Mr Mellas told Coolwell.

"Now you have escalated to trafficking cannabis for almost 12 months as well as pleading guilty to dishonesty and driving offences."

The magistrate said the charges were an indication of how Coolwell was living his life and he needed to start making better decisions.

He said after spending 39 days in custody, including the past couple of weeks in 24-hour lockdown, it was time for Coolwell to start putting a value on his freedom.

Police executed a warrant at Coolwell's home on July 2 last year and found a stolen PlayStation and cannabis. He failed to appear in court.

On January 23 this year, police intercepted Coolwell driving north on the Henty Highway in an unregistered vehicle. 

After a positive preliminary breath test Coolwell refused to accompany police for an evidentiary test. 

He has never had a driver's licence.

On July 27, police conducted another raid at Coolwell's home. They found $400 in cash and a double-edged knife, a small bag of cannabis seeds and another of ice.

A search of the couch where Coolwell was sitting uncovered a tick list, deal bags of cannabis and two mobile phones which contained evidence of dealing.

In an interview with police, Coolwell admitted trafficking cannabis since August last year. 

Defence counsel Andrew Tweedly said Coolwell had a long-term cannabis habit and sold drugs to fund his own use – not to live an extravagant lifestyle.