Jail sentence follows 3 week crime spree

A 21-year-old man with a “chronic drug problem” who went on a 26-day crime spree has been sentenced to seven years jail, with a minimum of four years.

After pleading guilty in the Koori County Court last month, Jesse Proctor faced sentencing by Judge Mason on Wednesday.

Judge Mason said between March 14 and April 9 last year, Mr Proctor had embarked on a “crime spree” with two cooffenders.

“Your criminal conduct resulted in a considerable number of victims, possessions stolen and damage to property,” Judge Mason said.

He said the victims had experienced fear, anxiety and associated trauma.

“Your conduct is appalling…it has contributed to sustained and concentrated offending.

“Members of the community were terrified and feared death because of your driving and those offences occurred within two weeks of your release from jail,” he said.

Mr Proctor, formerly of Drouin, faced more than 30 charges relating to offences in Warragul, Drouin, Ellinbank, Longwarry, Trafalgar, South Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley.

The court heard he had been released from jail only 12 days earlier before his “crime spree” began.

Charges included thefts, burglary, obtaining property by deception, attempted carjacking, aggravated carjacking, conduct endangering life, dangerous driving whilst in pursuit of police, intentionally damaging property, driving in a dangerous manner, trespassing, possession of a dangerous article and driving while disqualified.

The list of offences included thefts of cars from properties in Warragul and Longwarry.

The court heard Mr Proctor attended a property in North Canal Rd at Trafalgar East where he ransacked a caravan, home and shed stealing jewellery, a generator, two chainsaws, ammunition and hand tools.

He also trespassed at a property in Warragul-Leongatha Rd, Ellinbank and stole petrol and registration plates in Yarragon and Drouin.

Judge Mason said on the morning of April 9, Baw Baw CIU detectives Justin Prestige, Danny Shaddock and Brett Miller observed Mr Proctor in a white Holden.

He said the detectives activated lights and sirens and pursued Mr Proctor in Brandy Creek Rd.

Judge Mason said Mr Proctor was travelling at speeds of 110 km/hour in the 60 km/h zone. He said the vehicle was observed travelling on the wrong side of the road and as it approached the O’Dowd’s Rd intersection the vehicle was airborne.

He said detectives abandoned the pursuit because of safety concerns and the vehicle was seen travelling on the wrong side of the road.

In a car stolen from Longwarry, Mr Proctor was later that morning seen in Leongatha where he crashed into two parked vehicles near an aged care facility. One vehicle caught fire and the fire spread to all three vehicles.

Judge Mason said Mr Proctor ran across the road and attempted to steal a white Saab from a woman and then ran from the scene.

The court heard Mr Proctor then jumped into a Volkswagon driven by a woman who had slowed down and wound down her window thinking Mr Proctor needed help from the burning cars. Her two children aged one and four-years-old were in the car.

Judge Mason said the children were hysterical and Mr Proctor yelled at the woman to drive, saying “hurry up or I’ll stab you.”

Mr Proctor began punching the woman who then threw her keys from the car in an attempt to buy some time to get her children out of the car. He put his hand down her dress looking for the keys.

Mr Proctor left Leongatha in the Volkwagon, travelling east towards Foster just before 11.30.

Judge Mason said Baw Baw, Bass Coast and Latrobe police, as well as the police air wing, were involved in a search for him.

The court heard Mr Proctor was driving “erratically and overtaking at high speeds.” He was estimated to be travelling at 200 kilometres/hour.

After crashing the Volkswagon, he abandoned the vehicle and stole a Nissan Patrol that he drove across paddocks, crashing through fences and crossing the South Gippsland Highway with no attempt to give way to traffic.

Judge Mason said the Nissan was found abandoned in dense bush with fencing wire wrapped around it.

Mr Proctor was arrested at 12.45pm in the kitchen of a house in Hedley.

Judge Mason said Mr Proctor’s criminal record dated back to 2009 when he appeared in court at 12-yearsold for a number of violence and dishonesty offences.

He said Mr Proctor had experienced an “unsettled” home life when he was younger and had been diagnosed with ADHD.

He said Mr Proctor had a chronic drug history, starting with cannabis use when he was nine-years-old, escalating to ice by the time he was 12 to 13, and also including intravenous drug use and MDMA.

Judge Mason said his longterm prison history had arisen because of a “long standing and chronic drug problem.”

Judge Mason said there was evidence Mr Proctor wanted to be “reformed” and had the support of his mother. He said while the ability for reform was “bleak,” he said it was not hopeless.