A 23-year-old man caught drug-driving three times in June has avoided an immediate term of imprisonment.
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Alec Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of drug-driving and one count of driving while suspended at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Ben Jones said police first intercepted Hill driving his black Holden Commodore sedan at Lake Gardens on June 8 at 4.57pm.
He said an oral fluid sample, taken from Hill, was analysed and showed the presence of methamphetamine and cannabis.
The court was told the following day, on June 9 at 3.03pm, police intercepted Hill driving his black Holden Commodore on Leith Street.
An oral fluid test showed he had methamphetamine and cannabis in his fluid.
Senior Constable Jones said police intercepted Hill again on June 23 at 5.46pm and an oral fluid test showed he had the same drugs in his system.
He said Hill told police he had consumed marijuana before he was intercepted.
On June 28, Hill entered a preliminary breath testing station in Sturt Street in his black Holden Commodore sedan.
The court was told he underwent a preliminary oral fluid test which recorded a negative result, but police checks revealed he was driving while suspended.
Senior Constable Jones said Hill's driver's licence had been suspended for six months due to an accumulation of demerit points.
Hill's lawyer said his client had a medical condition and one of its effects was an inability to develop maturity. He said Hill became reliant on cannabis after his friend died in a car accident, which was when his offending occurred.
The lawyer said given Hill's medical condition and his young age, a community correction order would be appropriate.
Magistrate Ron Saines told Hill, a concreting apprentice, jail was fairly and squarely on the agenda.
But after a community correction assessment, he sentenced Hill to a 12-month CCO with 150 hours of unpaid community work and assessment and treatment for drug and mental health concerns.
Hill was disqualified from driving for 15 months.
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