Accused says no reason to grant bail

A CORIO man who allegedly crashed a stolen car into the wall of a shopping centre on Friday and did a “runner” from police has been denied bail.

Kaleb Silcock, 20, was arrested by officers as he sprinted from a different crash on Henry St about noon on Saturday.

Mr Silcock made his own application for bail in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

But his bid for release was doomed from the moment Magistrate Peter Mellas asked him to explain why bail should be approved.

“No reason,” he said. “I just . . . stole a car, had it for two days and that’s it.”

The court heard he had an extensive criminal history for his age; 36 convictions for burglaries and thefts, five of them for stealing motor vehicles, six convictions for driving unlicensed and eight for serious offending while on bail.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Kylie Jane said the new offences alleged were also committed while on bail.

They include counts of aggravated burglary, theft and theft of a motor vehicle, drug and weapon possession, unlicensed driving, three counts of failing to stop on police instruction and four of breaching bail.

The court heard Mr Silcock, of Purnell Rd, broke into a house on Fieldman Crt on Thursday and stole car keys.

He allegedly stole a blue Toyota Corolla, and committed a petrol drive-off in it early on Friday before police tried to intercept him on Goldsworthy Rd about 9am.

At their direction, he pulled over but sped off when they got out of their car to speak to him, the court was told.

Sen-Constable Jane said the applicant crashed the car into a wall of Kmart’s Corio Shopping Centre store soon after, but was not in it when police arrived at the scene.

She said the store’s security cameras later showed he had fled into the shop.

Police allege they again tried to intercept Mr Silcock about 24 hours later when he was seen driving on Fairbairn Drive, Corio, but he turned on to Sharland Rd, and officers abandoned their pursuit because he was going too fast.

They had their next chance to arrest him at noon on Hendy St.

This time when police tried to stop him, they say he threw his car into reverse in an attempt to get away.

But Sen-Constable Jane said the vehicle became stuck, and he was arrested after getting out and running 30m in a bid to get away.

Mr Mellas rejected the bail application, saying the case appeared strong.

He ordered him back to court on August 1.