A 33-year-old man has been fined $3800 over drug and driving-related offences from 2017 and 2018.
Luke Charles Ronald Martin returned to Bunbury Magistrates Court for sentencing on Thursday, January 17.
Martin previously pleaded guilty to driving with an illicit drug in his system, providing false/misleading details to police, and stealing a motor vehicle.
He also admitted to two charges of failing to comply with orders from police.
Police prosecutor sergeant Dean Talbot told the court that Martin, at 11.26am on December 20, 2017, was stopped by police on Dodson Road.
He was conveyed to Bunbury Police Station, before an oral fluid test tested positive for methamphetamine.
In a separate incident from 2017, Martin was stopped by police on Old Coast Rd, Australind.
Police ordered Martin to undergo an oral fluid test at Bunbury Police Station. He then refused to comply with the order.
At 10.15am on February 16, 2018, Martin stole a Ford Courier Utility from a business on Picton Crescent.
Employees were seen chasing after Martin as he drove away.
At 10.23am, officers followed Martin on Hastie Rd and stopped the vehicle on Ocean Drive.
Martin told police he had borrowed it from a friend in Dalyellup earlier that day.
After being stopped, Martin told the officers his name was “Luke Williams”. The name was later proven to be false.
At 6.30pm on February 26, 2018, Martin was stopped by police on Old Coast Rd.
After being ordered to undergo an oral fluid test, Martin refused to comply.
It was found there were no exceptional circumstances preventing him from complying with the orders.
Martin’s lawyer told the court his client had been released from prison in 2014 after serving a 19-month term for drug-related matters.
The defence said Martin had relapsed into meth use following his release.
Martin recently completed stages one and two of the Supervised Treatment Intervention Program, and was planning to finish stage three.
The defence said Martin, ever since February last year, had been “going in a positive direction”.
The lawyer added his client was a “relatively young man” and had “strong support” from his family.
Magistrate Belinda Coleman congratulated Martin for continuing with the STIR program.
“You should be very proud of what you have achieved,” she said.
“We hope you continue your rehabilitation. Don’t return to court again.”
Martin was fined and disqualified from driving for six months.
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