By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An ‘ice’ trafficker speeding at up to 182 km/h in a stolen car with its headlights off while pursued by police in Cranbourne West has been sentenced.
Omar Amr, 30, from Springvale South, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to dangerous driving while pursued by police as well as trafficking ‘ice’, driving unlicensed and dealing with proceeds of crime.
Police Air Wing initially observed Amr speeding at about 160km/h in the stolen Honda Civic on Dandenong-Hastings Road in Cranbourne West about 2.18am on 27 May 2021.
In an attempted intercept shortly after, a police car activated lights behind Amr’s vehicle on Western Port Highway.
Instead of stopping, Amr accelerated from 100km/h to 182 km/h, and turned off the car’s lights to avoid detection.
Police Air Wing and the police car followed “at a distance”.
After pulling up in Hastings about 15 minutes later, Amr jumped a series of fences to escape. He was chased down and bitten by a police dog.
During the foot chase, Amr flung a ‘man bag’ over a fence.
It was filled with 55 grams of ‘ice’, $730 cash, syringes, two phones and the Civic car keys.
After ankle surgery for dog-bite wounds, Amr told a police interview he didn’t think his driving was dangerous.
“I think I was just going a bit fast but … I was in control of the car.”
He claimed he borrowed what he thought was a “rental” car from a friend.
Judge Wraight said the driving at high speed at night with lights off could “only be assessed as serious”.
Amr, who reported smoking two grams of meth daily, conceded the seized ‘ice’ had been for sale.
The amount was akin to “street-level” drug-dealing, but many times over the minimum traffickable amount of three grams.
Amr’s “extensive and relevant” criminal history began soon after he was struck by a bus while he was cycling in 2008.
The prospective commerce student suffered a brain injury, which altered his personality and behaviour, Judge Wraight noted.
He used cannabis to manage his pain, then spiralled into ‘ice’ and GHB abuse – and crime, the court heard.
A psychologist assessed a strong link between his offending and his brain injury, which caused him to act more impulsively.
In sentencing, the judge noted that a rehab specialist had reported Amr’s “very successful” recent courses of drug treatment.
He had also been reportedly crime free and drug free since bailed in November, Judge Wraight said.
“On this occasion, despite your criminal history, you are making a genuine effort to change,” Judge Wraight said.
“Undoubtedly it will be difficult for you as you continue to grapple with the issues that led to your drug issues.
“In the circumstances I assess your prospects of rehabilitation as very good.”
Judge Wraight said the continuation of Amr’s “sustained rehabilitation” should be maintained.
Minutes prior to sentencing, the court was told Amr was charged with drug trafficking while on bail two weeks earlier.
A prosecutor told the court Amr was found with drugs, a bullet and $11,000 cash at Hyatt Place hotel on 31 July.
Judge Wraight said the new charges were “not good news” but were untried. They could not be considered as part of the current sentencing.
Amr was put on a two-year community corrections order, plus 168 days in pre-sentence detention as “time served”.
The supervised CCO will include mental health and drug treatment and judicial monitoring.
