Terang man steals, crashes ute in Camperdown

Cody Mathews, 27, previously of Ballarat, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday to theft of motor vehicle and other driving-related offences.

The court heard the man had a lengthy criminal history involving the theft of 14 motor vehicles.

Then on October 6 last year, he stole a utility from outside a newsagency in Camperdown's Manifold Street about 8am.

The keys were left in the ignition.

Mathews jumped in the vehicle and despite not having a driver's licence, drove away in a westerly direction.

The vehicle was then involved in a collision about 10 kilometres down the road in Weerite.

Mathews rang a tow truck driver who knew the utility was stolen and called 000.

Police attended and Mathews was arrested. He was found in possession of $4250 believed to have been stolen from the car.

On Tuesday, Bernard Campigli, representing Mathews, said the offending was "a low act".

He said the cash and vehicle had been recovered, although conceded the utility was damaged in the crash.

Mr Campigli said his client was raised in a "large deprived family" and suffered a traumatic childhood.

He said Mathews had an intellectual disability and started using methamphetamine when he was 14.

"That led him down the path of drug abuse and dishonesty," he said.

The court heard Mathews struggled with impulsivity which occurred in the context of child deprivation.

Mr Campigli said after serving his first term of imprisonment in 2015, Mathews continued to offend despite rehabilitative components of his sentence post-release.

He said Mathews' vulnerabilities saw him easily abused by other offenders.

But he said his client had made a "remarkable turnaround" which was largely credited to him taking himself away from negative peers.

Mr Campigli said Mathews was now living a stable life in Terang with his partner.

He sad his client had engaged positively with NDIS and other support systems.

Magistrate John Lesser said he was pleased with the man's progress since being released on bail.

He sentenced Mathews to the 13 days he spent in custody on remand and placed him on an adjourned undertaking until December 31.

Under that order, Mathews must not reoffend and comply with all treatment recommendations of his GP.

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