MARYBOROUGH police uncovered a number of stolen number plates, licences, and other personal documents when they stopped a driver who had furniture sticking out of his car, a court has heard.
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The driver - 35-year-old Jacob Branch - appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court last week where he pleaded guilty to 15 charges including dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
The court heard on the morning of January 12 last year, police saw Branch driving on Taylor Street in Maryborough.
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He had a piece of furniture protruding from his driver's side door, meaning the door was wide open as he held onto the furniture and the steering wheel at the same time.
Police intercepted Branch after seeing that the NSW registration plates displayed on the car were also outstanding stolen plates.
The vehicle's actual registration had expired in 2019 and Branch's licence had been cancelled three months earlier.
Branch provided his brother's name and West Australian licence when police asked him for his identity.
The officers searched his car and found outstanding stolen Queensland registration plates, along with a firearms licence, health care card, Victorian licence, and Australia Post prepaid account card under different names.
Branch was arrested and taken to the Maryborough Police Station for questioning. He denied the allegations.
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Branch was released on bail on April 9 with a condition to follow a 9pm to 7am curfew. The 35-year-old breached that curfew on May 2.
Defence lawyer Andrew Madden told the court Branch was in custody on other matters but had served close to 11 months of pre-sentence detention for the handling property offences.
Mr Madden submitted the magistrate could consider time served as part of a sentence.
Magistrate Alan Spillane said it was "rather pathetic" that a man of Branch's age had been involved in such crimes.
"You're a very strange person," Mr Spillane said. "I can't understand your conduct."
The magistrate said he would fine Branch significantly less than he usually would in recognition of the time the 35-year-old had already spent in custody.
Branch was convicted and fined $1500.
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