CALLAN Edward Starkey planned to move from his home in Canberra to Melbourne, propose to a woman, and start a new life.
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The problem was the engagement rings he had were stolen, he was high on ice and the car he was driving down the Hume Highway had also been pinched.
The 25-year-old was aggressive, agitated and argumentative in Albury Local Court last week.
He had been busted twice by police on September 11 at a time when he had four warrants out for his arrest.
Officers stopped the stolen white Toyota Corolla he was driving at Little Billabong about 10.20am.
Starkey had earlier driven off with 40 litres of stolen fuel at Gundagai and was travelling with a disqualified ACT licence.
Police were called to another job and Starkey was warned not to drive.
But police again saw the same Corolla travelling south on the Hume near the Thurgoona Drive interchange.
They tried to stop the car but were unable to do so due to traffic.
They soon spotted the vehicle trying to drive through scrub near Thurgoona Drive.
When they arrived, Starkey was standing next to the bogged vehicle, which was deep in mud.
He tested positive to methamphetamine and a search back at the police station found a small bag of ice.
The vehicle had been stolen from the ACT a day earlier.
Officers spoke to a woman in Queanbeyan who told them Starkey had stolen three rings worth $1000 and a gold watch.
He claimed he had been given the items.
Starkey also explained that he had been driving to Melbourne to propose to a woman with the stolen rings and had been unable to pay for the stolen fuel.
Starkey told Albury Court he was being “treated like a dog” in the cells and was just sitting around all day eating meat pies.
He didn’t know what day it was and had to be dragged out of the court by corrections officers.
He received a six-month suspended sentence, $200 fine, good behaviour bond and 12-month licence loss.
