Kade Nathan Norden pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court this week to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, using a firearm, theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop on police direction, driving unlicensed, theft of number plates, using and possessing GHB and trafficking methamphetamine.

His guilty plea came after magistrate Jonathan Klestadt indicated he would sentence Norden to 15 months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of nine months if he pleaded guilty that day.

In January this year, the 30-year-old bought a stolen vehicle for $800 from an unknown person.

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He drove to the Strathfieldsaye shopping centre and stole the number plates from another vehicle.

Then in March, police saw Norden parked in Derwent Drive, Long Gully and activated their lights, but Norden drove away at speed.

Ten days later, police patrolling the Strathdale area saw a car known to be involved in the evasion of police parked in the back yard of a Sibley Place address.

A check of the number plates on the car revealed they were stolen.

Norden was at the home and told an officer he was looking after the car for a friend, but he was arrested.

Another person at the home informed police Norden had a backpack with a firearm in the vehicle.

Police found a sawn-off rifle in the car and a backpack containing rounds of .22 ammunition.

The vehicle was identified as stolen.

Police searched the house and found GHB and drug implements, while the phone of another person at the home had evidence that indicated Norden was involved in trafficking.

His Facebook account contained references to selling drugs.

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The court heard Norden told police he bought the car from a friend of a friend, and denied stealing it, saying he only found out after the purchase the car was worth about $34,000.

He said he drove away from police to avoid apprehension, and the gun was given to him the week prior.

Norden also admitted to possessing the GHB and using it the prior night.

Defence lawyer Luke Docherty told the court his client relapsed into ice use after a relationship breakdown and this led to his offending.

Prior to that, Mr Docherty said, his client had remained clean and law-abiding after his release from prison in 2016.

He said Norden had prospects of rehabilitation, having completed a community corrections order, and had undertaken a number of courses while in custody.

In sentencing Norden, Mr Klestadt declared 44 days of pre-sentence detention as time already served.

He also disqualified Norden from driving for 12 months.

If it were not for Norden's guilty plea, Mr Klestadt said, he would have imposed a sentence of two years' imprisonment with a minimum period of 18 months.

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