Road menace jailed

Serial offender hit 120km/h in flight from police

A BREAKWATER father of five who sped from police on the wrong side of Fellmongers Rd at 120km/h has been jailed for eight months.

While driving a MercedesBenz sedan on July 22, Gary Penman ignored demands from police to pull over near the Cosgrove St intersection.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that Penman drove 300m on the wrong side of Fellmongers Rd near the Geelong racecourse to flee police.

Police prosecutor Geoff Lamb said Penman was arrested when his getaway was brought unstuck by a mechanical failure in his car.

The court heard the 42year-old was caught driving while unlicensed or disqualified three times between February 2 and September 8.

Leading Senior Constable Lamb said Penman was found drug affected behind the wheel on June 3 and had refused a breath test on February 2.

“It’s an appalling (driving) history. It’s consistent offending. He knows he shouldn’t be driving but continues to do so,” Sen-Constable Lamb said.

Penman pleaded guilty to 25 charges, including dangerous driving while being pursued by police, driving while disqualified and obtaining property by deception.

Sen-Constable Lamb told the court Penman knowingly sold stolen radios worth $892, which were taken during a break-in at a Grovedale business on June 25.

The court heard Penman was also part of an aggravated burglary on September 8, stealing a debit card from a Ryrie St home.

Sen-Constable Lamb said the card was used to buy almost $300 of alcohol, petrol and cigarettes during a 30minute spending spree.

“All transactions were captured on CCTV and (Penman) has been identified using the debit card,” he said.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie said Penman had breached two community corrections orders since 2013.

“It is the failing to stop when requested by police and driving in (a dangerous) manner that concerns me due to the danger to the public,” Ms McGarvie said.

She fined Penman $2500 after police found a knife in his car on September 13 and driving without a seat belt on June 3, and $500 for breaching his community corrections order.

Penman’s lawyer, Damien Pitts, claimed his client could not afford to register the maroon Holden he was caught driving on June 3.

Ms McGarvie rejected the claim and said Penman managed to buy drugs and the Holden after another of his cars was impounded earlier this year.

Mr Pitts told the court his client had clinical depression and an illicit drug addiction.