Corey Roberts charged over 144km/h Bendigo police pursuit, threatening to kill woman

A Bendigo crim begged for bail so he could “rehabilitate and reform” after he was accused of running cars off the road during a 144km/h police chase while on bail for allegedly ramming a police car.

Corey Roberts, Bendigo. Picture: Victoria Police.

A prolific Bendigo car thief charged with hundreds of offences while on bail has begged for “one final chance” after he was accused of running motorists off the road during 144km/h police chase while on bail for allegedly ramming a police car.

Corey Roberts, 32, was refused bail at Bendigo Magistrates'’ Court on Monday after an alleged police pursuit through Bendigo on March 7.

Police allege Roberts drove on the wrong side of the road at a high speed, causing other drivers to swerve off the road to avoid being hit, allegedly clocking 140km/h on Station and Myrtle streets in Epsom, which are 50km/h zones.

On another 100km/h road, he allegedly hit 144km/h.

The Long Gully man was on seven counts of bail and facing more than 240 charges of burglary, violence, car thefts and police pursuits.

Roberts was also on bail for allegedly ramming a police car on Derwent Drive in Long Gully while methed-up in June last year.

Corey Roberts allegedly hit 144km/h during a Bendigo police chase, the court heard. Picture: Cade Mooney.

Police opposed the bail application with detective Senior Constable Kyle Herrick telling the court no conditions had stopped Roberts from going on crime sprees that involved “numerous” police pursuits where he put “innocent motorists’ lives at risk”, which, he alleged, would ultimately lead to death or serious injury.

Prosecutor leading Senior Constable Kyle Mannes argued Roberts had shown “poor engagement” with support services while on bail, and no conditions imposed by the court would reduce the risk Roberts posed to the public.

Corey Roberts, Bendigo. Picture: Victoria Police.

Legal Aid lawyer Paul Kidd argued Roberts should be released on bail again to live at the same address he had allegedly been committing crimes out of so he could continue his involvement in Bendigo’s ARC court.

Mr Kidd said Roberts knew he was “asking a lot” but was asking Magistrate Trieu Huynh to “take a leap of faith” and give him a “further and final” chance to “rehabilitate and reform”.

Detective Herrick argued Roberts had been offending “for his entire adult life and shows no signs of stopping despite being given chance after chance”.

The court heard Roberts had done several stints in prison for police pursuits, car thefts and violence including being jailed for 140 days after running a woman over in a car “during a dispute” and a 10 month sentence for driving dangerously during police pursuit.

Mr Huynh said Roberts was a person “who tries”, but “struggles” and there needed to be a circuit breaker from the cycle of Roberts returning to drugs and allegedly reoffending.

“There are only so many occasions I can afford Corey an opportunity at liberty,” Mr Huynh said.

Mr Huynh refused the bail application, saying the “door was closed but not locked”, telling the defence that he could reapply at a later date when he had organised a “tangible path away from the drugs”.