Prison a wake up call for offender after drugged crime spree

Christopher Romeril appeared in the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Tuesday following incidents in July and September 2018.

Officers searched his London Road home in July of that year amid concerns drugs were inside.

Romeril had a chat to officers, who could smell cannabis.

He pulled a bag out of his jocks and a bag from his jeans pocket, with a combined weight of 67 grams.

He next came to police attention two months later, when officers tried to intercept his Holden sedan in Wodonga at 10.10pm on September 1.

He refused to stop and was next seen driving on the Murray Valley Highway on September 8, where he again refused to stop.

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Romeril was directed to pull over on Anzac Parade about 10.20pm but drove off at an estimated 110km/h to 120km/h.

The car was later found in Wangaratta after being disposed of by Romeril.

He told magistrate Ian Watkins he couldn't remember most of that time.

"So drugs were part of your life then?" the magistrate asked?

"Yeah, really bad," he replied.

Romeril said he wanted to get the old matters dealt with.

He served a 16-month jail term after being sentenced in Albury and is still on parole.

The court heard he hadn't used since being released.

Romeril said he was working at an Albury hotel and for his father's cafe.

"I was on a little crime spree," he said.

"I have a job and stuff now."

Mr Watkins told Romeril given the time that had elapsed and fact he was working, "I don't intend to send you back to prison today".

"Your driving history's pretty bad, normally with charges like this you're at risk of going to jail, or at least a community corrections order," he said.

He was fined $1000 and banned from driving for six months.

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