A 29-year-old man stole and torched a modified vehicle belonging to a man with cerebral palsy, before he drove at police officers in another stolen vehicle and sparked a manhunt across Ballarat.
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Thomas Dylan Smith faced the County Court in Ballarat on Wednesday when he pleaded guilty to 19 charges stemming from the crime spree between April 9 and 10, 2018.
Crown prosecutor David O'Doherty said the crime spree started when Smith entered a Sebastopol house between 1am and 5am on April 9, while its occupants slept, and stole a number of electronic items.
He then stole a Holden Viva, which had been modified for a man with cerebral palsy, and torched it in a Magpie pine plantation.
Through a statement read to the court, the victim said he had worked hard to buy his car and he had just got used to its modifications to get his licence when it was stolen and torched.
The other two occupants of the house, a mother and son, said they had to now sleep with the light on and they jumped at the slightest movements.
After fleeing the car fire, Smith then stole a Toyota Landcruiser in Mount Helen. The victim ran inside her house to telephone her husband after seeing Smith walking around a truck.
The prosecutor said while the woman was on the phone, she saw Smith get into the Landcruiser and drive away. Police spotted him in Grant Street when he crossed the centre of the dividing lane and drove towards officers, causing them to take evasive action.
After deploying stop sticks on Frenchmans Lane, police lost sight of the Landcruiser, which was later located on Moss Avenue.
The next day on April 10, Smith was driving a stolen Holden Commodore ute in Ballarat's CBD when he lead police officers on a dangerous chase through the city's streets.
Ms O'Doherty said during the pursuit, Smith deliberately drove at police officers, causing them to take evasive action, as they were deploying road spikes in a bid to stop him.
Police said Smith, a disqualified driver, was driving at speeds between 90 and 100km/h in a 50km/h and was throwing items out of the vehicle trying to hit police.
The chase ended when Smith collided with parked cars on Ascot Street South and he fled, jumped over fences and knocked a grandmother - who had been hanging out her washing - to the ground.
Smith was eventually arrested on a Dana Street rooftop.
Defence barrister Paul Kounnas said methamphetamine use was at the front and centre of his client's offending.
He said the concreter turned to methamphetamine use after a traumatic 2014 when his relationship with his girlfriend broke down and his house mate died in a car accident.
Mr Kounnas said Smith's family would keep him on the right path when released from custody, with strict rules he not use drugs and he works.
He had strong family support in court for the plea hearing, including his mother, partner and sister who cried during the hearing.
The court was told Smith, of Sebastopol, had been released from jail eight weeks before the crime spree.
"He knew he acted crazily on ice. His criminal behaviour becomes even worse," Judge Allen said.
Judge Duncan Allen ordered a Forensicare psychiatric report to be prepared before sentencing Smith. He has been in custody for 526 days.
Smith pleaded guilty to 19 charges, including arson, exposing police officers to risk while driving, two counts of aggravated burglary person present, four counts of theft and three counts of conduct endangering persons.
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