By ALECIA PINNER
A CARRUM Downs man who led police on a pursuit through Dandenong South and the south-eastern suburbs in January this year has been jailed for 15 months.
Aaron Gary Vilbro, 20, pleaded guilty to 42 charges, including reckless conduct endangering life, when he appeared in Frankston Magistrates Court last Tuesday over the January 31 pursuit.
The 18-minute chase ended a three-month, drug-fuelled crime spree by Vilbro throughout Dandenong and the south-eastern suburbs.
The court heard Vilbro committed a number of crimes between May 2011 and January this year, including stealing nine vehicles, stealing $10,000 of copper piping, burgling a Narre Warren house, setting fire to a car in Cranbourne North and leading police on another chase through Wheelers Hill.
Magistrate Rodney Crisp sentenced Vilbro to 15 months’ jail with a non-parole period of eight months. He has already spent 133 days in custody. He was also disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for three years.
The court heard Vilbro had a poor demeanour, showed no remorse and denied involvement in the crimes when interviewed by police. He had breached a previous 12-month community order and had admitted using $100 worth of crystal methamphetamine a day.
Mr Crisp said a community correction order was not a reasonable option. “This is one of the worst kinds of conduct endangering life,” he said.
Vilbro’s defence lawyer, Cara Litterick, said her client was significantly drug-affected when he offended.
She said Vilbro had undergone detoxification, education and rehabilitation in custody and now realised how differently he behaved when using the drug.
Mr Crisp said Vilbro was too old for youth detention and would have a better chance of managing his addiction in an adult prison. “It’s going to be your best bet as far as drying up is concerned,” he told Vilbro.
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