Bradley Garner, 30, has a history for getting caught up in one of Wangaratta's methamphetamine rings and three years later, he still struggles with the drug.

He appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates Court on Monday to plead guilty to charges including drug-driving and failing to keep a safe distance from a car in front.

The court heard a woman driving along Riley Street in Wangaratta on the afternoon of June 2 last year was hit from behind by a Hyundai Excel, driven by Garner who said he did not see the car as he was looking to turn left into Hungry Jack's.

The collision caused minor damage and the two drivers exchanged details, but the woman became suspicious when Garner was in a rush to lock the car and leave the scene, so she called police.

When officers found him at his home they conducted alcohol and drug tests, which came back positive for methamphetamine and with a blood alcohol level of 0.14.

They also discovered Garner's licence had been suspended for six months in January 2016 and he never applied to have it returned.

Five months later, on November 26, Garner was again caught driving with ice in his system and without a licence.

Solicitor Geoff Clancy said Garner's life had been "devastated" by ice over the years and he "got dragged along and sucked in" to getting involved in the drug ring in 2014.

"He's found the demon of kicking this habit difficult," he sad.

"Hopefully the penny's dropping with this man that it's a bad drug."

Magistrate Ian Watkins sentenced Garner to a 12-month community corrections order with the requirement to complete 100 hours of community work and drug rehabilitation.

"It's a real concern that you're coming before the court with your history, still plagued with an ice addiction," he said.

He acknowledged the habit was hard to beat, but said Garner had to do the work now because there would be no reset button on his life.

"The longer you spend using that evil drug, the more of your life you're wasting," Mr Watkins said.

"You've been involved with a lot of bad drug people in the past, they're not here to support you today."

Garner was considered a minor player in the 2014 drug ring headed up by Jessica Fogarty, who received a seven-year jail sentence.

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