By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Narre Warren man has been refused bail after being found in a stolen car while he was on bail and a community corrections order.
Daniel Dawson, 28, escaped on foot after police found him rummaging through the car – fixed with stolen number plates and with a blown tyre – in Hemmings Street, Dandenong, on 22 August, a court was told.
The car had been stolen during a house burglary in Berwick in August while the victim was away overseas.
When arrested three weeks later, Dawson told police he was unaware of the burglary and that the car was stolen.
His version of events “changed throughout the interview and was inconsistent,” police informant Sergeant Chris Marlow told the court.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said Dawson had a bad criminal history, having spent 35 days in custody and re-offended on CISP credit bail and treatment corrections orders in the past.
Dawson’s current corrections order covered 39 charges, including indecent exposure and an indecent act on a phone, Mr Vandersteen said.
“There’s not much you can trust,” the judge said.
At the time, the accused had a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear on bail for possessing GHB and possessing cartridge ammunition without a licence.
The items were allegedly found with Dawson slumped in a car parked at Casey Central shopping centre on 27 June.
On his phone was a message to an unknown number: “have you got wheels got sales out my asssss,” according to a police submission to the court.
Defence lawyer Adrian Dessi told the court his client’s criminality started in 2015 after a relationship breakdown.
His series of property offences since then was associated with a spiralling abuse of drugs.
In refusing bail, Mr Vandersteen didn’t think Dawson was engaging with his corrections order, and wasn’t “as honest as you could have been”.
Dawson had demonstrated he had a stable address and available support, but there was an unacceptable risk of reoffending.
He was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 17 October.
