AN ice addict recently released from jail has been refused bail after being caught in a car he claimed he won in a poker game which was filled with stolen property.
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Branden Hobbs, 25, of Dennys Street, Warrnambool,unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court.
He was remanded in custody until September 5 charged with 16 new offences, highlighted by two guns and about 30 rounds of ammunition being found in the back of his car.
Magistrate Ann McGarvie said Mr Hobbs has entered the criminal justice system in spectacular fashion when in March this year he was jailed for three months after being charged with about 40 mostly dishonesty-related offences.
She said that since being released from custody about 10 weeks ago it appeared Mr Hobbs had stepped up his offending.
The magistrate said Mr Hobbs had been found with two rifles in his car, one sawn-off, and 30 rounds of ammunition.
"This is offending of a higher grade, it's incredibly serious," Ms McGarvie said.
The magistrate said Mr Hobbs failed to attend drug rehabilitation as part of his existing community corrections order and his car was three-quarters full of property stolen after a string of residential burglaries committed over about 10 days.
She said there was only one way for unemployed drug users to fund their habits - by committing criminal offences.
Ms McGarvie said she did not think there were any bail conditions which could be put in place to reduce the chances of Mr Hobbs offending to an acceptable level.
She said the fact that guns were found in his car indicated he was a danger to the community.
Senior Constable Nick Roberts said the goods found in Mr Hobbs' car were stolen in recent residential burglaries committed in the Warrnambool and district.
"The back seat was three-quarters full to the roof," he said, explaining that Mr Hobbs had a raging ice habit and he had handed over a syringe to police officers who arrested him.