Stolen car teen jailed

Chase after crime spree

A CORIO teenager who was in a stolen car that allegedly swerved at a policeman at Crown Casino has been jailed for three months.

Bailey Meadows, 18, yesterday pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates’ Court to his involvement in a 24-hour crime spree across Geelong and Melbourne on November 23.

The court heard Meadows and four co-accused kicked in the front door of a home in Marshall, stealing a station wagon, before breaking into an elderly couple’s Wandana Heights home and stealing a Mercedes Benz, wallet and jewellery.

Police prosecutor Leading SenConstable Geoff Lamb said the group then travelled to Melbourne in a Ford Territory — which had been stolen earlier that day in Newcomb before Meadows became involved — with the intention of selling stolen jewellery.

An off-duty police officer spotted the car travelling on the Princes Freeway and phoned 000, leading to officers from the Critical Incident Response Team tracking the group to Crown Casino.

Sen-Constable Lamb said an officer from CIRT drew his gun in the casino’s car park and yelled for the car to stop, but it accelerated towards him and forced him to jump out of its way.

A police car then rammed the stolen vehicle, before its windows were smashed and capsicum spray deployed.

Victim impact statements tendered to the court revealed the couple in Marshall were selling their home because they no longer felt safe, while the elderly couple in Wandana Heights had incurred thousands of dollars in costs to replace locks and for insurance claims.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie described the crimes as “really serious” and jailed Meadows for three months, with 22 days in custody recognised as time already served.

“Ordinary members of the community are absolutely terrified it’s going to happen to them, and now these people are living in fear,” she said.

Also in court was Jack Hall, 18, accused of driving the stolen car at the police officer. Ms McGarvie rejected bail and Hall is to reappear in court on January 24.