A magistrate said a man's reaction was 'completely disproportionate' when he rammed a car and drove with another man clinging onto his bonnet, all triggered by the theft of a $16 game from a store.
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A staff member and a customer who was in the carpark called after Nathan Mann, 26, and his partner to stop after they allegedly stole a $16 game from Autobarn in Sebastopol.
The couple ignored their pleas got in their car. The customer who was trying to help stop the theft parked his car in front to block Mann from leaving.
Mann then rammed into the customer's car, before reversing back into a fence.
There was a scuffle when an Autboarn staff member tried to reach into Mann's car to turn off the ignition.
The customer stood in front of Mann's car, attempting to get details for insurance to fix the damage, but Mann drove at him and pushed him with the car.
It is extraordinary what mayhem was caused over a $16 theft.
- Magistrate Letizia Torres
The customer got onto the bonnet of Mann's car to avoid being hit, but Mann continued driving for a short time around Sebastopol with the customer gripping onto his bonnet.
Mann stopped the car in another carpark, the customer got off the bonnet and his partner threw the game at the customer, who then returned it to the store.
Magistrate Letizia Torres said during a court hearing on Friday it was 'extraordinary what mayhem was caused over a $16 theft'.
Mann pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court after prosecution downgraded the seriousness of the charges.
Defence lawyer Liliana Dubroja said Mann conceded his actions were dangerous, but he had turned his life around since.
She said he was now employed working hard in the family business and had a new partner who had two children.
Ms Dubroja said Mann did not know his partner had stolen from the shop at the time of the incident on December 12, 2019 and was confused why people were approaching his car.
Ms Torres convicted and fined Mann $1500.
He was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $440 restitution for damage to the fence.
"It seems as though you are doing well at the moment, working, being a family man and doing the right thing," Ms Torres said.
"It is extraordinary what mayhem was caused over a $16 theft. It was chaotic and dangerous and I hope you realise your reaction was completely disproportionate to what had occurred.
"I hope nothing like that ever happens again."
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