Warrnambool man arrested at Bunnings pleads guilty to dozens of drug, weapon and driving-related offences.

Kieron Miller, 27, was sentenced in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday after pleading guilty last week to drug, weapon and driving-related offences.

He was convicted and jailed for 12 months.

Miller, who has served more than 60 days in custody on remand, will be released on an 18-month community correction order.

Under that order he must perform 150 hours of unpaid community work.

Magistrate Nunzio La Rosa said Miller was still a relatively young offender, turning 28 in just four days.

But he said the man had a significant criminal history involving drug and driving-related offences, and had previously served terms of imprisonment and parole.

Mr Rosa said when motorists attempted to flee a police intercept, they risked "causing significant harm to innocent members of the community going about their business".

But he said he was willing to sentence the man to a reduced term of imprisonment, given his early guilty plea and the availability of unpaid community work as a punitive measure.

Miller's driver's licence was disqualified for two years.

Earlier, July 12: A Warrnambool man found with a sawn-off shotgun after a series of police evades says he fled out of fear of losing the car he was living in.

Kieron Miller, 27, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday to dozens of drug, weapon and driving-related offences.

The man and his partner were arrested on May 16 at Warrnambool's Bunnings Warehouse after they were swarmed by police about 3.30pm.

There was a warrant of apprehension out for the man after he failed to appear in a Melbourne court on April 4 charged with 36 offences.

They were arrested and a search of the woman's bag located two black spray cans stolen from the retail store.

A subsequent search of Miller's vehicle uncovered a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition, a small quantity of MDMA, a stolen mobile phone and bank cards used to purchase items from retail and liquor stores.

The court heard Miller was wanted for multiple counts of evading police and petrol drive-offs exceeding $300 at south-west service stations.

The evade police incidents happened at Preston, Panmure and Warrnambool and involved a green VS Commodore sedan with alloy wheels.

On one occasion, he fled police at 106 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, driving erratically and on the wrong side of the road.

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On another, he fled at speed and drove through multiple red lights in a built-up area of north Melbourne.

The sedan was observed on a number of occasions with fraudulent and stolen plates attached.

During a police interview, Miller said he intended to use the stolen black paint on the wheels of his vehicle to avoid police detection.

He said he was aware investigators were looking for him and he'd fled out of fear of losing his vehicle, which he'd been living out of for the past month.

Miller's lawyer said the man was struggling with methamphetamine use and homelessness at the time of the offending.

She urged the court to consider a shorter jail sentence followed by a community correction order.

Miller has served 56 days in custody on remand.

He will be assessed for a correction order and sentenced on July 18.

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