By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A FORMER pro-boxer on the run for two years has been jailed over deceptions including fleeing from a Cranbourne West dentist without paying for a veneers procedure.
Jamie Bogovic, 27, had been hand-picked by world champion Jeff Fenech and won six of six fights during his career, his lawyer told a court on 23 November.
During a break from his training regime, Bogovich’s “world came crashing down” – he became lost and started using ice, his lawyer said.
The accused had been on the run for so long because “he had obvious concerns for his liberty”, and had plans to revive his boxing career in Newcastle, the lawyer said.
Bogovich pleaded guilty to a string of offences including pretending to be a private investigator and trying to induce money from a Sandhurst household in 2013.
When his ruse was rejected, Bogovic became aggressive towards the two residents and dragged one of them out the front door towards his car, the court heard.
He struck the female victim to the face. The other resident who stepped in was pushed against a wall and punched in the guts, police prosecutor Senior Constable Dani Lord said.
Bogovic, in making partial admissions to police, said he was helping his girlfriend with a “registration transfer issue” but denied the assaults.
Also in 2013, Bogovic requested emergency surgery at a Cranbourne West dental clinic under the nom-de-plume ‘Steven Yannick’ and using invalid Medicare details.
For the negotiated price of $400, the accused received a veneers operation at 6.30pm. After the procedure, he told the dentist he left his wallet in the car and didn’t return.
His fingerprints left on the dental clinic’s forms were identified by police.
Bogovic also faced shop theft and assault charges for pushing a female store manager several times and fleeing with his girlfriend and $152 of stolen underwear, bras and thongs from a Best and Less in Keysborough in October.
Last year, Bogovic’s car clipped a vehicle and forced it in the gutter as he overtook it at a Princes Highway intersection at Clayton, the court heard.
After failing to start his own car at the scene, Bogovic fled on foot from the pregnant victim without exchanging details.
The accused committed three petrol drive-offs from a Mulgrave servo in May and June, as well as seven driving-while-suspended charges over the past two years.
His licence had been suspended pending a medical review, though Bogovic’s lawyer was unable to reveal what the medical issue was.
“There was talk of a blackout (while driving),” the lawyer said.
The 27-year-old accused also had four prior driving-while-suspended convictions.
Magistrate Gerard Bryant said Bogovich’s walkout on the dentist after a procedure of up to two hours was “heartless”.
“It shows complete and utter contempt and disregard for someone’s hard work.
“Maybe in Beverly Hills (veneers) might be considered an emergency but not in the ordinary sense of the word.”
Mr Bryant noted a Corrections Victoria report assessing Bogovich as a high risk of re-offending.
“They reckon you’re going to fail. It’ll be a challenge to yourself to prove everyone wrong.”
Bogovich was jailed three months, followed by 100 hours of unpaid work and judicial monitoring as part of a 12-month community corrections order.
Most of those work hours could be converted into programs such as drug counselling and anger management.
Bogovich was banned from driving for two years.
