TWO men who fled from police in separate stolen vehicles, reaching speeds of 169km/h and 210km/h, have been sentenced to time already served.
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Jason Scouller, 24, and Geoffrey Wetzel, 28, were on Friday sentenced to 23 months and 28 days in jail, which they have already served in remand custody.
County Court Judge Howard Mason described the pair's dangerous driving in the Wimmera on July 3, 2017 as appalling.
He said their behaviour, which included evading police at high speeds and a forcing a truck driver to take evasive action, put people's safety at risk of serious injury or death.
The County Court in Ballarat heard the pair engaged in the dangerous driving across the Wimmera after they did not pay for fuel at the Horsham Caltex service station.
Horsham Police were provided with CCTV footage of Wetzel filling a silver Ford Falcon - stolen from Black Hill - with fuel worth $70, while Scouller filled a red Ford Falcon - stolen from Sebastopol - with fuel worth $65.
Police then spotted the vehicles at the Kaniva Caravan Park but Scouller and Wetzel fled in the vehicles when they realised police had seen them.
Police officers attempted to chase the vehicles separately but terminated due to the high speeds.
Scouller was recorded travelling at 169km/h outside Kaniva, and made no attempt to stop for police, as he crossed into South Australia.
Wetzel reached speeds of between 200km/h and 210km/h on the Western Freeway and crossed onto the wrong side of the road, which forced a truck to take evasive action.
The court was told the silver Ford was dumped while Scouller, with Wetzel in the passenger seat, drove the red Falcon back to Ballarat.
The red Falcon was later found burnt out.
Four days later on July 7, Scouller stole a Nissan Tiida, and with Wetzel as passenger, they were spotted by the Special Operations Group in Mount Pleasant.
They tried to evade the SOG members, but their vehicles boxed them in and they eventually arrested.
Scouller pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including five counts of theft, two counts of handling stolen goods and one count of dangerous or negligent driving while being pursued by police. Wetzel pleaded guilty to four charges, including two counts of theft and one count each of handling stolen goods and dangerous or negligent driving while being pursued by police.
Their licences were cancelled and they were disqualified from driving for two years from the day of their arrest on July 7, 2017.
If they had not pleaded guilty, Judge Mason said he would have sentenced them to four years' jail with a non-parole period of three years.
Scouller will remain in custody until Monday when he will face the Ballarat Magistrates Court. Police may apply to have him extradited to Queensland for prior offences.