By Cam Lucadou-Wells
AN UNLICENSED, drug-affected man who rode a stolen motorcycle through red lights during a police pursuit through Casey has told a magistrate he “couldn’t really ride a motorbike”.
Rory Chris Sansom, 24, who had also never been licensed to drive a car, was also charged with driving a stolen vehicle in Cranbourne and stealing a car in Pakenham, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard on 22 August.
Sansom, who was on two community corrections orders at the time, had been spotted by police on the red Kawasaki motorcycle without a rear number plate on Shrives Road, Narre Warren, just after midnight on 1 June.
Police followed with their lights and siren on and saw Sansom look behind twice during the pursuit.
They saw Sansom cross a dividing line and enter a roundabout on the wrong side on Webb Street.
Though keeping under the speed limit, he then rode through a red light turning east on Princes Highway, and another at Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road.
Police had called off the pursuit because of the danger but caught up with Sansom trying to jump-start the motorbike on the side of Princes Highway soon after.
Observed to be “agitated and with dilated pupils and a dry mouth”, Sansom was arrested but refused a drug test at Narre Warren police station.
Sansom told police he had been “trying to do the right thing” by riding the motorbike home for his friend who the accused claimed owned the bike.
He wouldn’t identify the friend to police, the court was told.
The accused was also charged with driving a stolen Holden sedan in Rouse Street and Hoddle Court, Cranbourne, on 14 May.
Sansom produced a receipt to prove he bought the sedan for $800 from a named person.
Police observed that person was not the owner of the car and that the vehicle’s ignition barrel was broken.
During a search of the car, police seized two 30-centimetre knives in reaching distance of the driver – which he later claimed were for self-protection.
Sansom had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiance disorder since being a young child, a defence lawyer told the court.
The accused had also abused prescription drugs, ice and GHB, the court was told.
“He is someone who needs a more hands-on approach than a corrections order can offer him.
“The most concerning matter… is probably that he was affected by a drug at the time.”
Sansom had served 38 days in remand custody including 22-23 hour lockdowns at Port Phillip Prison due to his alleged involvement in the riots at Melbourne Remand Centre last year.
As a result, his mental health had “deteriorated”. He’d been admitted for six days in a mental health ward, his lawyer said.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said Sansom had put himself at great risk during the motorcycle escapade.
Sansom replied: “I don’t even know how to ride a motorbike.”
Mr Vandersteen said the behavioural issues coupled with drug use put Sansom at further risk of offending.
Many offenders charged with evading police had ADHD, the magistrate noted.
“They don’t slow down and think of the consequences until it’s too late.”
Sansom was jailed for 14 months, with a five-month non-parole period, as well as disqualified from driving for a year.
Mr Vandersteen said a lengthy parole period was needed to ensure Sansom was “engaged and looking after yourself” when released from jail.
“It’s difficult. The risk of you driving unlicensed has to be dealt with.”
