James Davis, 21, of Sebastopol, used a screwdriver to remove number plates from a nearby vehicle on January 12, later fixing the stolen plates to his own car and driving around with them displayed.

Ballarat Magistrates Court on Tuesday heard it was only a few days later, on January 18, that Davis again used a screwdriver to remove number plates from a car in Talbot Street, a short distance from his home. 

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Clint Prebble said Davis replaced the already stolen plates on his car with the fresh ones. 

Along with his vehicle being unregistered, the court heard Davis had never held a driver's licence. 

He pleaded guilty to charges including theft on Tuesday. 

His lawyer, Mike Wardell, called Davis' mother to give evidence to the court that her son had a learning difficulty and had recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

"He doesn't quite understand things," his mother told the court.

Asked by Mr Wardell about her son's view of his offending, the mother said: "I don't think he does have any idea of what's going on."

Submitting that his client should be placed on a community corrections order, Mr Wardell said a term of imprisonment would be "crushing" for a young man with such difficulties. 

Sentencing Davis to a 12-month community corrections order, magistrate Peter Mithen told Davis to look at his supporters in court. 

"You have put that (family) in jeopardy," the magistrate said. 

"Everyone's leaning over backwards, except you. You need to straighten up and you need to be a positive member of the community."