Wade Turner, 22, released after spending more than seven months in prison, pleaded guilty to five charges including theft of a motor vehicle and failing to comply with a direction to assist police at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Ben Jones told the court Turner stole a car from the Stockland Wendouree car park on March 24.

Police recovered the vehicle and returned it to the victim on March 28.

The court head on March 30 Turner stole a car from a driveway of an unsuspecting victim.

The victim had reversed the car into the driveway, left it running with the keys in the ignition while he disconnected the trailer and pushed it into his backyard.

Turner stole the car and drove it to a petrol station where he was captured on CCTV filling it up and leaving without paying.

Senior Constable Jones said Turner was unlicensed at the time of offending.

Police executed a search warrant at on April 15 and seized Turner's mobile phone. He was charged with failing to comply with a direction to assist police for refusing to provide the passcode to his mobile phone.

Turner also faced two charges of contravening a community corrections order.

Defence lawyer Melanie Rudolphus said it was conceded imprisonment was warranted but she made submissions for the court to consider sentencing time served.

She said Turner had experienced drug issues since he was 13, his mother died when he was young and he was placed in out of home care.

"He says drug use has been a theme of his offending. He recognises that is a big issue for him and Ballarat is an issue for him because it links with his peers," Ms Rudolphus said.

"He has been working as a painter in custody and has attended narcotics anonymous meetings in prison and says he has been taking steps to put himself in a better position on his release."

Turner was sentenced to 225 days time served and was disqualified from driving for five months.

"I think today might be your lucky day given the strength of the advocacy on your behalf that has also seemed to have an impact on the prosecutor who has agreed to time served," Magistrate Gregory Robinson said.

"It might have been a more lengthy sentence. You need to be warned if you do come back again you can expect a period of imprisonment that won't be anything less than 12 months."

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