By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A repeat bail offender addicted to ice has been ordered to dry out at his uncle’s Swanpool farm.
Scott McLean Rankine, 22, had been in custody for a month after being arrested on 15 October for allegedly breaching an intervention order at his father’s house in Berwick while chasing his sister around the house and kicking a door in rage.
At a bail hearing on Monday, Dandenong magistrate Pauline Spencer said Rankine was “making it very difficult for me to give you another opportunity”.
At the time of his arrest, he was on bail with allegedly seven outstanding warrants and had failed to appear at court four times this year.
He had also repeatedly failed to comply with a community based order recently handed down by Ms Spencer which included alcohol and drug treatment.
In Rankine’s own words to the court, he was given an opportunity and “blew it off”.
“We’ve got a window in your life when you can change,” Ms Spencer told Rankine.
“If we lose you now, we don’t get you back at you till your 40s and 50s. We lose you for decades,” Ms Spencer told Rankine.
“If you were staying here and on CREDIT bail, I’d have little confidence.
“Swanpool is isolated, you might be able to pull it off this time, ” she said – though noting drugs were no less available in Benalla than anywhere else.
Ms Spencer took into account Rankine’s offending had become less frequent and serious over the past year.
“Before you were stealing cars, handling stolen goods and assaults. It gives me hope that you’re not a rampant offender.”
Police prosecutor First Constable Tanique McFarlane, in opposing bail, said Rankine was on bail for offences including damaging a home with a meat cleaver during a domestic violence incident, stealing from a shop, possessing a drug of dependence, assault with a weapon and receiving stolen goods.
“I believe he’s been struggling with ice for a couple of years,” informant Senior Constable Richard Symmons of Casey police’s Family Violence Unit told the court.
“He probably has too much time on his hands. I don’t believe he’s worked a day in his life.
“We don’t have issues with his uncle’s character. Drugs have taken a fair hold of (the accused).
“We believe he’s an unacceptable risk. He continues to commit offences on bail and he doesn’t appear at court.”
The court was told that Rankine had previously stayed at his uncle’s farm for three weeks.
But when he caught a train back to the city ahead of his 21 birthday he went “back on the drugs” and was missing for three days.
His uncle told the court during the last stay Rankine was “good – until I put him on the train and he went off the rails”.
“Once he gets with his so-called friends, that’s when he gets into trouble. He follows too easily sometimes.”
Rankine was bailed on a night curfew and weekly reporting to police. He is due to reappear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 15 December.
