Christopher Trofin pleads guilty to drugs, driving and weapons charges

A drug-driving dad with a 45-page criminal record has been told by a magistrate he’s on his last chance after avoiding a prison sentence for driving and weapons charges.

Christopher Trofin. Picture: Facebook

A drug-driving dad was found by police passed out in his car having mistakenly parked in a neighbour’s driveway, a court has heard.

Christopher Trofin, 45, appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded

guilty to charges including driving while disqualified, dealing with the proceeds of crime, possessing both prohibited and controlled weapons, drug-driving, possession of alprazolam (xanax), anabolic steroids and pregabalin, driving an unregistered vehicle and failing to display correct number plates.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie said Trofin, who wore a three-piece suit and sneakers to the hearing, had an “appalling” record, including 45-pages of criminal priors between 1996 and 2023, and an equally horrid driving record.

However, Trofin escaped jail time with Ms McGarvie warning him this was his “absolute” last chance at rehabilitation.

He was convicted, ordered to complete an 18-month community corrections order and fined $900 plus costs.

“If this doesn’t work we can write off rehabilitation and we can focus on punishment,” Ms McGarvie told Trofin.

The court heard that in the early hours of October 24 last year, Trofin pulled into what he thought was his driveway, and passed out in the car.

His neighbours, concerned at the strange vehicle parked in their driveway, called the police.

Trofin “appeared to be drug-affected” when officers arrived and called an ambulance, the court heard.

A large flick knife was found at his feet, and an extendible baton was found in a footwall.

Almost a thousand dollars in cash was found in his wallet, while police also found drugs including anabolic steroids and pregabalin.

Two bags in the car contained multiple needles and syringes.

Trofin was deemed unfit for interview and transported to hospital.

Two months earlier, on August 4, Trofin was nabbed by police speeding on the Princes Freeway in Corio.

He was caught speeding again on October 10, zooming along Eastern Beach Rd on a motorbike at 90km/h just after 11pm.

Again intercepted, Trofin was given an oral fluid test, which came back positive for ice, while it was discovered the bike he was riding also had the wrong plates, the court was told.

Trofin’s lawyer, Pat Byrne, told the court Trofin had “significant drug issues” and began drinking and using drugs at the age of 13.

The addiction is likely behind a 2017 diagnosis of an acquired brain injury, Mr Byrne said.

He said that despite reoffending while already on a community corrections order, Trofin had done well on the order.

“All the conditions were completed … if not for the offending they would have discharged it,” Mr Byrne told the court, adding it showed a “capacity” to engage in court orders.

Mr Byrne presented a forensic psychologist report, which strongly stated that prison would be detrimental on Trofin’s chances of rehabilitation.

Mr Bryne said Trofin tended to fall back on drug use and low-level crime as a “coping mechanism”.

“At this juncture in his life, any term of imprisonment will be the complete antithesis of the rehabilitation he desperately requires,” Mr Byrne said.

Originally published as Christopher Trofin pleads guilty to drugs, driving and weapons charges