Brent Maciejewski appeared at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday, representing himself in a bail application.

The court was told Maciejewski was accused of driving in Creswick with false number plates on Saturday - police allege the front number plate on the ute he was driving was bent upwards into the bullbar, and there was no rear plate, according to the police summary.

Officers performed a U-turn and intercepted Maciejewski, who produced a licence that noted he was disqualified.

The number plate had a letter R scratched out to create a letter P, police allege.

Maciejewski was on four counts of bail for similar offences, including allegedly driving while disqualified, driving unregistered vehicles, and driving with methamphetamine in his system in October and December 2018.

On one occasion, in June 2019, police stopped at a house in Wendouree for an unrelated matter and noticed the vehicle in the driveway had two different number plates - Maciejewski emerged when police removed and checked the plates and the vehicle identification number.

The accused said "he'd just picked up the car from Norman Street for $750 and did not check the plates".

In March 2019, police allege they intercepted the accused driving disqualified with false plates after recording him driving at 99km/h in a 60 zone on Learmonth Road - Maciejewski admitted being the owner, said he'd just bought it and put on the plates he'd found inside so he could drive home.

In March 2020, Maciejewski and a co-accused were observed by police at a storage shed on Eureka Street, allegedly filing identification numbers from a stolen U-Haul trailer.

Stolen number plates and a small plastic bag with a white crystal substance were also found.

Maciejewski told the court he was caring for his partner and had been drug-free since being arrested in March, and had since found stable accommodation and regular work.

"At the end of the day I just really don't want to go back to custody," he said.

Magistrate Jonathon Klestadt said Maciejewski had not presented evidence to show he was in exceptional circumstances and should not be granted bail.

"I note the offending for which he is on bail goes back to October 18," he told the court.

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"I note the accused failed to appear on July 15, 2019, in relation to three matters, a warrant was issued and executed.

"He has a bad driving history, and is facing numerous charges of driving disqualified or without a licence."

Bail was refused, and Maciejewski will return to court on August 18.

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