Former Warrnambool man found guilty of dangerous driving in stolen Porsche

Dylan Christopher Stone, 26, now of Alisma Boulevard, Cranbourne, was found guilty of failing to stop on request, reckless conduct endangering life and serious injury, unlicensed driving and driving in a dangerous matter in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday following a contested hearing.

The charges related to Stone driving a stolen 2011 Porsche at 200km/h in Warrnambool on December 21 last year.

The contested hearing heard from three police officers, including the informant Detective Senior Constable Glen Baldwin and Senior Constables Nick Roberts and Oliver Price.

Senior Constable Roberts told the court he was working the night shift with Senior Constable Price on December 21 when they received reports of a silver luxury car driving erratically in the Warrnambool area.

He said at 3.20am the Porsche was observed at the Apco service station in Raglan Parade.

The officer said he identified Stone from previous dealings with him.

He said he attempted to block the Porsche using the unmarked police van but Stone reversed out of the service station and accelerated away at high speed.

The police officers went inside the service station to get security camera footage and Stone returned in the Porsche, revving it in an attempt to bait the officers into a pursuit.

He revved the engine and spun the wheels of the Porsche before taking off at extreme speed.

The two senior constables estimated Stone was travelling at 200km/h in a 60km/h zone.

CCTV footage played in court showed Stone putting fuel in the Porsche at a BP service station in Warrnambool three hours earlier.

In Tuesday's hotly contested hearing, Stone's lawyer said the police officers could not be sure that it was his client driving the vehicle.

He said Stone did not deny being in the car earlier in the evening but that Senior Constable Roberts had only a split second to identify the driver at the second service station.

The lawyer said it was a case of mistaken identity.

But Senior Constable Roberts said he had not seen Stone for about two years and had "no preconceived idea whatsoever that he was in town or driving that vehicle".

Magistrate Mark Stratmann said he had found beyond reasonable doubt that Stone was the driver of the Porsche and had engaged in conduct that could have placed a person at danger of death.

Stone was found guilty of the charges. He will be sentenced at a later date.

He is also expected to plead guilty to unrelated matters in the Melbourne County Court on Friday, and is awaiting a contested hearing in Broadmeadows Magistrates Court for charges relating to motor vehicle thefts and a police pursuit.

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