By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A DISQUALIFIED driver has argued he was found with two different stolen cars in three days out of a misguided desire to get his life on track.
Paul Donnell, 41, had been allegedly found by police next to a stolen Mitsubishi van with stolen number plates at a Cranbourne North 7-11 car park late on 4 October, a court heard on Monday.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Adam Green told the court that tools had been found in the van to trigger its ignition.
The van had been stolen from Caulfield, and the number plates taken from a vehicle parked at the Dandenong Club in the previous month, the court heard.
On 2 October, Donnell was allegedly driving an unregistered stolen vehicle with stolen plates in Dandenong North.
Inside the car was a backpack containing a screwdriver that police believed was used to steal number plates, Leading Sen Const Green told the court.
Donnell, whose driving licence was suspended, admitted stealing the car’s number plates from a vehicle in Noble Park.
Defence lawyer Nadine Daniel told the court that Donnell’s offending stemmed from “borrowing cars in dubious circumstances” due to his own car being impounded.
“The offence can’t be put on the basis that he stole it but was using a stolen car in circumstances that he should have known it was stolen.
“(The vehicles) had things in the back that he wasn’t aware of.”
She said most of Donnell’s criminal history related to breaching intervention orders rather than dishonesty offences.
Donnell had suffered “significant issues” such as losing his removalist business, clinical depression and at times sleeping rough since his marriage broke down four years ago, Ms Daniel said.
She said he was driving the cars because he was “blinded” by his desire to get his business “up and running”.
Because of his homelessness, Donnell was unaware his licence expired last year.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell noted Donnell’s “short but serious” criminal history for someone of his age.
She remanded Donnell in custody for an assessment for a community corrections order the next day.
