A GOLDEN Square man was caught driving on drugs while unlicensed on five different occasions in Bendigo earlier this year.
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Raymond Burzacott, 30, pleaded guilty to 21 charges in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday in relation to drugs, weapons and driving offences.
The court heard police intercepted Burzacott on Eaglehawk Road, Eaglehawk, on January 1 this year where he tested positive to a drug test but refused to go back to the police station.
He also tested positive to driving on drugs on High Street, Bendigo, on January 7 and on Harrison Street, Ironbark, on January 10.
On each occasion he was unlicensed and refused to accompany police to the station.
On June 23 he was caught driving on drugs on High Street, Kangaroo Flat, and again on June 26 at Maple Street, Golden Square.
While he was pulled over on June 26, police searched his vehicle and found 1.8 grams of ice in his pocket, drug paraphernalia, scales, ecstasy tablets and one bullet.
On January 15 he was caught in possession of methamphetamines in a cigarette packet while a passenger in a car in Long Gully.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Karl Mannes said Burzacott was in the back seat of a car on Elm Street, Flora Hill, on March 20 where he was found with a knife and two bags of methamphetamine.
He was arrested but released on bail.
Burzacott was also caught driving unlicensed at 125 kilometres per hour on the Midland Highway at Elmore on April 3.
Defence counsel Nick Button said the offending started after a breakdown in Burzacott’s relationship with his former partner.
“His problems seem to have emanated as a result of the break up of a relationship late last year,” he said.
“He met undesirable people and got into ice. He acknowledges that he does have a significant habit with ice in the last six months – an overwhelming problem – caused in part by a lack of stability in his housing situation.
“He has begun to reduce his intake.”
Magistrate Richard Wright convicted Burzacott and sentenced him to a 12 month community corrections order, 150 hours of community work and suspended his license for 12 months.
“If you are caught driving again, you’ll go in (to jail),” he said.