A man who was only released from prison two weeks ago is now on remand after he was denied bail for allegedly crashing a stolen ute.
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Trent Bunney, 27, appeared at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday, representing himself from the dock.
The court was told Bunney was arrested after police followed grind marks on the road from a crash in Sebastopol on Saturday - a parked four-wheel-drive was left with "extensive damage" and had moved about five metres.
Witnesses said they saw the ute drifting onto the centre median before hitting the parked car and losing its front left wheel, then driving off.
Police arrived at a Sebastopol address to find Bunney and a co-accused allegedly attempting to attach a new wheel to the ute.
Two different number plates, also allegedly stolen, were found in the back.
Bunney's jacket was searched, and police allege they found nine Xanax pills and a "modified torch", which could act like a Taser.
The informant, Senior Constable Rory Mitchell, told the court Bunney had just served a 22-month sentence for similar offences, and had a history of serious offending.
"(He) immediately returned to his offending ways," he said.
Bunney challenged Senior Constable Mitchell to provide any evidence of him being in the car.
"We were looking for two Caucasian males, one with white jacket, and you had a white jacket with you," Senior Constable Mitchell replied.
He also asked if there was any forensic evidence - a search had not yet been completed - and why there was no police interview recorded - Senior Constable Mitchell replied Bunney was incoherent at the time of his arrest.
Bunney told the court he had not been involved in any offending since his release, and had been concentrating on the Reconnect program.
"That's the first time I've had help in the community, it's helping me with my mental health," he said.
Magistrate Gregory Robinson said Bunney presented an unacceptable risk to the community.
"Given the motor vehicle theft and accident and drug use, by themselves they are sufficient," he said.
"The circumstantial evidence is strong that you were in the stolen vehicle at the time of the accident and then drove off."
Bunney will appear again on November 25.
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