AN offender with a long criminal history, who admits stealing a Terang car which then ran out of petrol as he drove to Warrnambool, has been refused bail.
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Phillip Bidmade, 56, of Laverock Road, Warrnambool, unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody until August 28.
He has been charged with theft of a car, trespass and driving while disqualified.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said Mr Bidmade was already on a community corrections order imposed on September 28 last year for a number of serious offences.
Mr Bidmade has 50 pages of prior court appearances and has committed offences every year for a long time.
Police said that about 6pm on Tuesday Mr Bidmade entered a property in Terang’s McKinnon Street where a silver Ford Laser was parked.
He found the car keys on the back veranda and slept in the vehicle overnight while the owner was asleep inside the house.
When Mr Bidmade woke up Wednesday morning he drove off in the Ford.
The car owner woke up, called friends to check if they had his car and then contacted police to report it stolen.
Mr Bidmade drove down the Princes Highway towards Warrnambool and ran out of petrol near Deakin University on the eastern road outskirts of the city.
A friend of the car owner saw the vehicle parked on the side of the road, followed the vehicle and police were called to Gateway Plaza.
Officers found Mr Bidmade sitting in the driver’s seat of the Ford with the keys in the ignition.
He admitted he stole the Laser and was also diving while disqualified.
Mr Bidmade said he slept in the car because he was cold but had no reason for stealing it.
He also told police he was still using ice, although not every day.
The accused was in Terang visiting a friend’s mother after catching a train from Geelong to Terang.
In support of his bail application, Mr Bidmade said he had not been in any trouble since being placed on the CCO and that his sick mother lived in Geelong.
He said he should have thought about her before committing his latest offences.
Mr Bidmade said he had a stable home in Warrnambool and had just started working for a removal business.
He said he had attended every appointment for his corrections order and all his drug screen tests were clean.
“I’m doing exceptionally well,” he said.
Magistrate Peter Mealy refused bail, saying Mr Bidmade had refused to show compelling reasons and was an unacceptable risk of committing further offences.