By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A PAKENHAM man, under the grip of an ice habit, has been jailed over an “escalating” spiral of offences including drug driving, possessing a Taser and thrice failing to front court.
A substance-affected Jeffrey Craig Corkery had been found asleep in an idling, stationary car by police in Irving Road on 23 August, a court heard.
From the car, police seized a Taser, a $100 note and a deal bag of amphetamine.
At the time, Corkery told police that he’d taken the weapon from his girlfriend because she’d threatened to use it on him.
On 29 February, Corkery also pleaded guilty to an intervention order breach against his girlfriend and drug driving in Pakenham.
He had been remanded in custody for 10 days since being arrested in a parked car in Lilliput Lane on 19 February.
Corkery denied taking drugs though police had seen the driver smoking next to him. An ice pipe and two grams of ice were found in the car.
The accused was also charged over driving unlicensed on a motorcycle with false plates; he told police that he’d bought the bike in Cranbourne a few months earlier.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted Corkery had failed to front Dandenong Magistrates’ Court three times since June last year, and been non-compliant with a four-month-old corrections order.
The accused was normally a “placid and soft individual” who was “out of control” due to ice, Mr Vandersteen said.
“You’re not the sort of person to use a weapon. You’re not a violent person.
“Things were trickling along and now there’s an escalation.”
Corkery was jailed for 120 days, followed by a 12-month community corrections order.
Mr Vandersteen said he’d vary Corkery’s corrections order to focus more on rehab than on doing unpaid work.
The accused was also disqualified from driving for three months.
“The cycle doesn’t stop. This could be anyone caught up using this drug ice,” Mr Vandersteen said.
“The question is what you will do when you come out on court orders.
