A Delacombe man who was being driven around Wendouree in his car, which was packed with drugs, weapons, jewellery and $64,400 cash, has been sentenced to prison.
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Michael Robb, 48, was sentenced to 11 months' imprisonment followed by a 12-month community corrections order and fined $1500.
He has already served seven months of the sentence by pre-sentence detention.
In sentencing Robb at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday, magistrate Cynthia Toose regarded the charges as serious.
She said drug trafficking, where weapons were involved, was a concern to the court and the community.
"It is concerning in addition to having a variety of drugs in your possession, you had significant quantities of jewellery. I don't accept you say they belonged to your girlfriend," Ms Toose said.
"You would understand there has to be general and specific deterrence."
The magistrate said she she took into account Robb's prior offences, which included drug and firearms matters from 2018.
Ms Toose acknowledged the impact of COVID-19 on people in custody, Robb's early plea and his wish to rehabilitate himself.
Robb's community corrections order includes supervision and treatment and rehabilitation for drug dependency.
"Ultimately it is up to you. I don't intend to lecture you at your age and with your priors about how to conduct yourself," Ms Toose said.
"It seems you have insight into your offending. If you persist in offending in a similar matter you will spend longer periods in custody."
Last month, Robb pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including trafficking methamphetamine, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime and possessing controlled weapons without excuse.
The court was told police sighted a Toyota Aurion sedan travelling along Grevillea Road at 4.45am on January 31.
When intercepted, the driver told police the car belonged to Robb and he was driving because Robb's licence had been disqualified.
Police then discovered 2.46 grams of methamphetamine in Robb's shoe and he was carrying $805 cash and two mobile phones.
A total of 10.56 grams of ice was discovered in the car, which is more than three times the traffickable quantity.
A yellow plastic container with $64,400 cash and zip-lock bags filled with various pieces of jewellery, believed to be stolen, was located in the spare tyre compartment.
Text messages indicated Robb was involved in dealing drugs while a camera memory card showed pictures of a large amount of cash had been taken on December 30.
Robb told police he found the money and jewellery covered in debris along the Yarrowee River Trail months before his arrest, but he did not report it to the police.
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