By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An unemployed mechanic accused of a ram raid and possessing a supermarket bag full of prescription pills has been refused bail.
Andrew Bruce Mackenzie, 31, of Emerald, was on two counts of bail when he was stopped by police with more than 500 prescription pills in a stolen car in Dandenong on 16 July, a bail hearing was told.
The tablets, including seroquel, tramadol and pramipexole, and an iPad affixed with a Wallaroo Primary School label were found in a large supermarket bag.
At the time, Mackenzie was driving suspended. The Corolla, stolen two days earlier, had at least one stolen number plate, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard on 17 July.
He was also charged with being part of a four-person ram raid at a Dandenong South meat factory in April. The group allegedly gained entry by driving through a fence, and then stole copper wire.
Police informant Constable Lachlan Williams told the court that he believed Mackenzie would continue to offend while on bail.
The accused had been in court only two days prior to his latest alleged offending, Const Williams said.
In the past two months, he’d been bailed on a night curfew with charges of two car thefts, drug possession, dealing with proceeds of crime and driving while suspended.
Mackenzie, a separated dad, told the court he was “clean” of his alleged GHB and ice habit, had some work “lined up” and had been living with a close relative for the past two months.
“I’ve never been in jail before, and I’m willing to comply with any bail conditions put forward,” Mackenzie said.
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell noted the accused had only received “modest” sentences such as good-behaviour bonds and fines in the past, but faced a lot of recent offences.
She said Mackenzie failed to show cause for bail and was a continual risk of re-offending while on bail.
A defence lawyer told the court Mackenzie would apply for the drug-therapeutic CREDIT bail program on 7 August.
He was remanded for mention via a remand video-link at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 25 August.
