Blake Clarke sentenced at Ballarat court for high speed chase through central Victoria

A drug addict farm worker broke into a church op shop, hid meth in his pants, and clocked 180km/h in a stolen car from Bendigo to Ballarat, dodging between traffic and nearly hitting a cyclist.

Blake Clarke, 28, was sentenced at Ballarat Magistrates' Court on October 17, 2024 for high speed hooning between Bendigo and Ballarat. Picture: Facebook

A methed-up farm worker clocked speeds of up to 180km/h as he sped between Ballarat and Bendigo, weaving between traffic in a stolen car that police tracked through multiple country towns.

Golden Point man Blake Clarke, 28, appeared at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court from custody on Thursday and pleaded guilty to dozens of charges stemming from what Magistrate Julia Barling called “dangerous and concerning behaviour”.

About 6.30am on March 4 this year, Clarke took a Ford Ranger from a home in Knowsley that had a tracker in it, the court heard.

Police monitored the vehicle as Clarke drove through Bendigo, speeding at 150km/h on the Calder Freeway, and then 180km/h for several minutes once police made their presence known.

After the police backed off, he then went along country roads and through Castlemaine, Newstead, and Smeaton, exceeding 170km/h and overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

Clarke managed to get from the outskirts of Bendigo to those of Ballarat in less than an hour.

Clarke faced Ballarat Magistrates’ Court from custody on Thursday.

Once in the latter town, he nearly hit a cyclist and drove through parklands, with a generator, chainsaw, and circular saw falling from his vehicle near Canadian Lakes Blvd.

Police deflated one of his tyres, leading it to become “disintegrated”, and arrested him once he was on foot in Golden Point.

Clarke was in possession of a folding knife, and his car held stolen number plates, a jerry can, and large bolt cutters.

A blood sample indicated he had meth in his system at the time.

The court also heard that in December 2023, Clarke stole a Toyota HiLux from a house in Linton and proceeded to take a lawnmower and wood splitter from a shed in Mannibadar, and an oil drum from Happy Valley.

A victim saw him rummaging through a rubbish pile on his property, and Clarke dropped a glass pipe as he fled.

He used cards that were in the HiLux to spend hundreds of dollars at Apco in Warrnambool, BWS in Ballarat, Coles Express, Bunnings, and IGA.

In January 2024, Clarke smashed a window and trespassed at the Sebastopol Holy Trinity Church’s op shop, but injured himself and left blood at the scene climbing back out.

Clarke stole a vehicle from Knowsley before the high speed chase. Picture: File

The same month, Clarke was searched after police pulled over a car on Peel St South, and a “large bulge” around his groin was found to be attributable to a Mimco purse containing GHB and meth.

In May 2024, Clarke reversed into a police vehicle at Ballarat Base Hospital when officers tried to box him in.

The court heard Clarke was in pain “on a daily basis” because of an injured leg and at the time he was arrested, was using meth daily.

Ms Barling cancelled Clarke’s licence and disqualified him from driving for seven years.

He was also fined $2000 and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 14 months.

Clarke has already served 190 days.