By CAMERON LUCADOUWELLS
A CRANBOURNE man, who often blacks out on a cocktail of booze and an anti-anxiety prescription drug, has been sentenced to 14 months jail on a multitude of offences.
Michael Bushby, 41, a former heroin addict, faced 18 offences, including theft, driving, assault and breach of a suspended jail sentence at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
His lawyer told the court Bushby became a “nasty piece of work” when drinking heavy doses of beer, vodka and/or wine in combination with benzodiazepine Xanax.
“He drinks until he’s blind. He then takes Xanax and has black-outs.”
Bushby had already served 77 days remanded in custody when charged with stealing two handbags from a Chinese restaurant in Caulfield last November. The bags and their contents were valued $1200.
The court was told he developed a taste for alcohol as a teenage plastering apprentice drinking with older men on the worksite.
He then developed a heroin addiction after starting work with a major construction firm.
Then followed a chequered history including five jail sentences, and a breached community corrections order in 2011.
In that time, he had taken part in one stint of rehabilitation eight years ago.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell imposed a non-parole period of six months, an $800 fine and a two-year driving disqualification.
