An ice user who pleaded guilty to stealing two vehicles that he destroyed in June has been placed on a 14-month corrections order.
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Paul Lewis Pitman, 22, also pleaded guilty to driving without an alcohol interlock device on February 26 this year on Raglan Parade.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said closed circuit television showed Mr Pitman at a Warrnambool service station late at night on June 8 driving off in a vehicle that had been left running.
He said the vehicle was later involved in an accident at Cobden and caught fire.
On June 12, Mr Pitman bought an Optus phone using the name of the person whose vehicle he had stolen on June 8, Senior Constable Harris said.
On June 15, Mr Pitman had stolen another vehicle in which the key had been left, along with a handbag.
Mr Pitman had bought alcohol and cigarettes from three south-west retail outlets and three pre-paid mobile phones from another retail outlet using a stolen credit card.
He had then driven to Childers Cove and burnt the vehicle.
On June 24, Mr Pitman had attended at Warrnambool police and was arrested, after which he struggled with police, Senior Constable Harris said.
He said Mr Pitman had told police he was homeless and a drug addict.
Mr Pitman had also been bailed on earlier offences and had not complied with his bail conditions, Senior Constable Harris said.
Pat McComish, for Mr Pitman, said during the time of Mr Pitman’s offending, his client had been stealing to survive, get drugs and pay off drug debts.
However he had since undertaken drug and alcohol counselling and been diagnosed with a mental disorder.
He had also made significant progress with support from his family, Mr McComish said.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said Mr Pitman had previously had little criminal history but had gone out of control in a spectacular fashion.
He said Mr Pitman was young and still in a position to make significant change in his life.
Mr Mellas said ice was a drug of choice and easy to get but Mr Pitman had to stay away from it if he wanted to avoid a long stay in custody.
He ordered Mr Pitman to do 75 hours community work, 50 hours of which was for drug treatment and rehabilitation.
