A Ballarat man who allegedly avoided police over five months after ramming an unmarked police vehicle and driving at an officer, was refused bail on Friday.
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Nicholas Lee, 31, was allegedly the subject of a large-scale manhunt across Ballarat after police had tried to arrest him numerous times.
His alleged offending stretches from April 10 to August 15, when he was arrested in Jasmine Drive at Delacombe.
Lee faces more than 30 charges, including aggravated intentionally exposing a police officer to risk by driving, resisting police, destroying a car by arson, dealing with the proceeds of crime and trespassing.
He applied to be released on bail at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Friday but failed to show compelling reasons.
The man's charge sheets state on August 1, Lee allegedly drove at a police officer, placing that person in danger of serious injury, at Broomfield. On the day of his arrest, he allegedly resisted two police officers.
Police informant Senior Constable Paul Fiddaman said Lee was the subject of a manhunt on August 2, which saw plain-clothes police officers searching Soldiers Hill drains and a police helicopter patrolling the skies.
In earlier alleged offending on July 26, the police informant said Lee burnt out a Ford utility on Alkera Road, Invermay. The police alleged the car was a proceed of crime.
Defence lawyer Natasha Freijah told the court her client had compelling reasons why he should be bailed, including a place at a residential drug rehabilitation centre which would cost his mother $22,000.
Ms Freijah said Lee's mother was prepared to offer a $10,000 surety, while she submitted the prosecution case was weak and Lee would spend more time on remand than a potential sentence.
In refusing bail, magistrate Ron Saines said there were no bail conditions likely to reduce the risks of Lee re-offending, failing to answer bail and absconding. Lee will return to court on March 3.
