A man who pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges including six car thefts,and was found with ammunition for high powered firearms will spend further time in jail.
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Christopher Forster, 26, faced the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Thursday via video link from prison for sentencing.
Magistrate Noreen Toohey said the offending committed between April and October 2020 was serious and affected the lives of numerous victims.
Sadly it is the type of offending that is coming regularly before the courts.
- Magistrate Noreen Toohey
She said a message of general and specific deterrence, punishment and denunciation was relevant in sentencing.
"Sadly it is the type of offending that is coming regularly before the courts," Ms Toohey said.
Forster was charged with six car thefts, three burglaries, nine thefts, 18 counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail and obtaining property by deception.
He was also charged with driving at a dangerous speed, dealing with proceeds of crime, fraudulent use of number plates and failing to stop on police direction.
Forster was found in possession of a rifle scope, magazine and ammunition for a high powered firearm when he was arrested in October while camping next to a stolen car near Wangaratta with co-accused Shannon Jeffrey.
"The offending is similar to much of Mr Forster's prior offending," Ms Toohey said.
"It was largely committed with co-offender Shannon Jeffrey who is currently on remand for very serious offending."
One of the cars was stolen from an 82-year-old man who left his keys in the ignition of his car parked at his farm gate while he walked 100 metres into the paddock.
The burglaries were committed at the Telstra Business Centre in Ballarat, the home of a deceased man and a cricket shed and community hall.
In October, Forster sped away from police at more than 120km/h in a 60km/h zone in a stolen car.
Forster also pleaded guilty to breaching a community corrections order that was imposed only days before the new offending began in April 2020.
His defence lawyer Heidi Keighran told the court in March Forster was using drugs at the time, had separated from his partner of five years and was homeless.
She said he was raised by his grandmother and began using drugs at age 14.
Ms Toohey said Forster had a poor history of engagement on previous sentences of community corrections orders, including refusing to attend drug treatment offered last April.
"I have no doubt Mr Forster understands if he continues to re-offend he will continue to spend lengthy periods in custody," she said.
Forster was sentenced to 12-months' imprisonment and a two-year community corrections order to begin when upon his release.
"He is going to be released back into the community. I think it is important he has an opportunity to engage," Ms Toohey said.
"If he doesn't do something now it is going to be too late. He will be entrenched in the criminal justice system and will be coming in and out of prison for the rest of his life."
Forster will be required to complete treatment for drug use and offending behaviour programs.
He has already served 174 days in custody.
"I am really hoping you will be able to engage with corrections, address your drug use and not engage with other criminals," Ms Toohey said.
"Ultimately it is your life and it is up to you."
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