Magistrate Janet Wahlquist told a Wollar man that he was very close to being sentenced to “full time gaol” when sentencing him over charges, including steal motor vehicle, in Mudgee Local Court on September 23.
Luke Maranda, 23, of Stoney Creek Road Wollar was sentenced in relation to two separate incidents and was given suspended sentences over three offences relating to the steal motor vehicle on August 14 and was fined in relation to five offences as a result of behaving in a manner at 3.35am on January 1.
On August 14 police evidence stated that Maranda had taken a vehicle from a party at Kains Flat Road Cooyal, driven it towards Mudgee and when it ran out of petrol walked to the Cooyal Hotel where he stole another vehicle and drove it to Mudgee.
The second vehicle was found engulfed in flames in Lawson Park at 5.30am the next morning.
When Maranda arrived at his home and told his father what he had done, his father called the police.
He told police “I stole a car from the party and drove to the Cooyal Pub - I don’t know who owns it but he was at the party.”
“I was bored, it was something to do,” he told police.
He said he stole the vehicle from the Old Cooyal Hotel “to get to Mudgee, that’s all I wanted it for”.
Maranda denied torching the vehicle and said that he had left the vehicle with the keys in the ignition and had left the engine running in Church Street Mudgee.
Police stated that at the time of this offence his licence was disqualified.
In the New Year’s Day offence Police had seen Maranda urinate outside a Church Street motel in view of other men and women.
When approached by Police he pushed an officer in the chest and when secured by police struggled with them, swore and made threats.
He also punched a man who had befriended that night when that person tried to calm him. Police said they had to use capsicum spray to assist control of the accused. Police also obtained CCTV footage of the incident.
Defence Solicitor Allan Hogan told the court that Maranda had acknowledged that he had an alcohol problem.
“He now has a good job that gives him a future and a career,” Mr Hogan told the court.
“His pre-sentence report sees a future for Mr Maranda now he has acknowledged his alcohol problem.
“He is not suitable for community service or periodic detention because his employment requires him to work for three weekends in every four.”
Ms Wahlquist told Maranda “In the offences in January you were out of control. The matters in August were extremely criminal.”
“You stole somebody else’s car and it was destroyed, you took a friend’s car,” she said.
“You should go to full time gaol but for the fact you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
“You will go if you re-offend.”
In relation to the New Year’s Day incident Maranda was fined $100 for offensive behaviour, $200 on each of two counts of resist police officer in the execution of duty, $300 for assault police officer and $300 for malicious damage.
In relation to the August 14 incident he was given suspended sentences of 12 months in relation to steal motor vehicle, six months in relation to drive a vehicle without consent and nine months for drive while disqualified.
He was also placed on concurrent good behaviour bonds for each of these offences for the terms of the suspended sentences and was disqualified from driving for two years over the drive while disqualified charge and will not be able to re-apply for his driver’s licence until January 2012.
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