Shannon Dunford pleads guilty to being the getaway driver in burglary

A father who was high on meth led officers on a wild chase in Portarlington and had around $30,000 worth of stolen alcohol and cigarettes in his car before the vehicle lost its wheels.

Shannon Dunford. Picture: Supplied.

A father who was high on meth led officers on a wild chase in Portarlington and had around $30,000 worth of stolen alcohol and cigarettes in his car before the vehicle lost its wheels, the Geelong Magistrates Court heard.

Shannon Dunford, 36 was the getaway driver of a stolen vehicle during a “planned” burglary on February 17.

Magistrate John Bentley said Dunford’s 50-page criminal history included some of the worst driving offences he had ever seen.

Dunford, who now lives in Portland, pleaded guilty in court to dangerous driving while being pursued by police, burglary, handling stolen goods and driving while disqualified.

While Dunford sat in his car, Thomson man Wade Websdale, 30, and two other unknown men forced entry into a Portarlington Cellarbrations bottle shop in the middle of the night and stole more than $30,000 worth of cigarettes and alcohol.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Andrew Claphalm said Dunford and his associates fled from the bottle shop about 1am when a witness called police.

During the wild police chase that ensued, Dunford drove at speeds of 160km/h on Drysdale-St Leonards Rd.

Over the next 40 minutes, police saw Dunford driving on the wrong side of the road, smashing through bollards and driving on a walking track.

Constable Claphalm said Dunford drove through the suburban streets of Grovedale and Belmont before the vehicle came to a stop in Waurn Ponds when it lost two wheels.

The occupants of the car ran from the scene but police managed to arrest Dunford, and a co-accused Websdale, however, two people still remain of interest to police.

Checks of the vehicle revealed the car had been stolen and the registration plates on the vehicle were also stolen. Items from the burglary were also inside the vehicle.

Dunford returned a positive test result for meth and told police he used it at about three hours before the burglary.

Dunford’s lawyer, Stephanie Mawby, said her client had been in custody for six months and the offending occurred because he had associated with negative peer influences.

Ms Mawby said Dunford had moved to Portland with his wife and child to try to escape his regular stomping ground.

Mr Bentley disqualified Dunford from driving for four years.

“I don’t think I have ever seen such horrific driving ever,” he said.

Websdale was sentenced to 14 months jail with a seven-month non-parole period.

Dunford will be sentenced on September 6.

Originally published as Shannon Dunford pleads guilty to being the getaway driver in burglary