A 34-year-old man who stole a car and was later found with drugs had just been given a community correction order for similar offending about a month before.
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Benjamin Arundell pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrate's Court on Thursday, April 18 to a string of offences including theft, driving and drug-related charges.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Angela Fitzgerald told the court Arundell was linked to a car stolen from Williamstown between June 30 and August 5.
That car was found unoccupied in Warrnambool on August 5 and CCTV footage from a Warrnambool gym showed Arundell was driving it on August 4.
On August 18, police arrested Arundell. A search of a bag found at the property produced 18.5 grams of methamphetamine, $4605, digital scales and drug paraphernalia.
Arundell said the belongings were his.
Addressing the man's lawyer, magistrate Gerard Lethbridge noted the offending was near-identical to crimes committed in the past.
"Just a month before some of these charges, your client was given a community correction order for two charges of theft of a motor vehicle, trafficking methamphetamines and possessing the proceeds of crime," he said.
"That seems to be almost a duplication of these offences in the context of having a staggering number of prior convictions for trafficking methamphetamines."
He remanded Arundell in custody until April 26 for sentence.
