A Ballarat driver has been jailed for driving dangerously away from police and overtaking cars on the wrong side of the road on two occasions.
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Nathan-Lee Rosenow, who has never held a licence, was sentenced to five months in jail at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday via a video link after he pleaded guilty to 35 charges.
The 31-year-old man's dangerous driving in Sebastopol and the Ballarat CBD occurred during a three-month crime-spree where he stole fuel from service stations on eight occasions and stole a Toyota Landcruiser at Mortlake.
Magistrate Ron Saines told Rosenow there was no doubt his offending related to drug abuse, although he took into account Rosenow's disability and psychiatric illness.
"This disability is very much overtaken by drug abuse and it's the drug abuse that takes over your decision-making," Mr Saines said.
He said Rosenow's sentence would be reduced because of his early guilty plea and the COVID-19 restrictions in prisons.
On July 10, police tried to intercept Rosenow in Hertford Street, Sebastopol, but he drove on the wrong side of the road, turned into Beverin Street and started overtaking other vehicles.
Police called off the pursuit due to the manner of Rosenow's driving.
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He evaded police in August after officers saw him driving a Holden Commodore that had been captured on CCTV for a fuel drive-off in Howitt Street earlier the same day.
Rosenow was driving east along Sturt Street and turned onto Grenville Street when he failed to stop and drove at a fast rate of speed, overtaking other vehicles.
He drove through a red traffic light at the Peel and Eastwood Street intersection.
In another incident in September last year, a man's Toyota Landcruiser was stolen from his Mortlake home. He was on his way to the police station when he saw his vehicle at a service station.
He stopped and saw Rosenow in the driver's seat. Rosenow told the victim he bought the Landcruiser for $1000 and it was "all legit".
Rosenow's defence counsel previously told the court Rosenow had an intellectual disability, he had a traumatic childhood, he was homeless and relapsed, and he did not have a significant criminal history.
Rosenow's sentence includes a $400 fine, an 18-month licence disqualification and a justice plan. The 56 days he has already spent in custody will count towards his five-month sentence.
He pleaded guilty to 35 charges including theft, dangerous driving, car theft and unlicensed driving.
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