A man who allegedly broke into cars parked in people's driveways in the middle of the night has been granted bail.
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Bryce Stephens applied to be released from custody at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court this week.
He is charged with two counts of attempted theft from a motor vehicle and one attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Giles Brown said Stephens was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order in May 2020, but allegedly broke into cars two months later.
The court heard Stephens allegedly unsuccessful attempted to start a car parked in a carport on July 8 and rummaged through the owner's possessions.
Stephens is accused of going to another house later that month and breaking into a Volkswagen Golf parked in a driveway and rummaged through the car.
His health and well-being are likely to be better managed in the community than in the prison system
- Magistrate Ron Saines
Senior Constable Brown said police located Stephens' fingerprints in the vehicles.
The court heard Stephens attended by appointment for an interview about the alleged offences earlier this week and was arrested on Monday.
Stephens' defence lawyer said she relied on a combination of factors to meet compelling reasons for bail.
She said Stephens had accommodation available with his mother in Wendouree, had been engaging to a positive standard with his community corrections order and he had an intellectual disability.
The lawyer submitted the impact of COVID-19 on the prison system would be particularly onerous for Stephens in light of his intellectual disability.
Stephens' mother gave evidence to the court that Stephens had engaged with the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative, his disability support worker and his Corrections Victoria officer.
She said she would take him to appointments and would call the police if he breached bail conditions.
Magistrate Rone Saines said the combination of factors met compelling reasons for bail.
"He has an intellectual disability and has been better engaged in his community corrections order in recent months such that his health and well-being are likely to be better managed in the community than in the prison system," he said.
"It appears to me a prison sentence for these charges is not particularly likely.
"The risks are identified by his prior history and regular and many examples of committing offences while on bail, but the risks can be reduced to an acceptable level with the imposition of conditions."
Stephens was granted bail and will return to court in October for a mention.
He must live with his mother in Wendouree, must not leave Victoria and must not leave the home between 8pm and 7am unless in the company of his mother.
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