Mildura crook found asleep on road in drug and number plate crime spree, tells cops ‘that’s family s**t’

A Mildura crook was caught driving with cloned number plates, found passed out in the middle of the road, and busted with methamphetamine, cannabis, and GHB.

Zac Tatchell jailed after cloned number plates, drug bust and erratic roadside arrest in Mildura. Picture: Supplied

A Mildura man has refused to discuss details of a crime he committed, telling police, “That’s family s--t,” a court has heard.

Zac Tatchell appeared in Mildura Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including possession of methamphetamine, cannabis, and GHB, driving while disqualified, and using cloned number plates.

In July 2024, Tatchell removed number plates from a ute belonging to someone known to him. He later returned them to a mutual friend, claiming he had “found” them.

The court heard Tatchell was later seen driving another ute displaying those same plates. When questioned by police, he initially claimed he had borrowed them before refusing to discuss the matter further.

“That’s family s--t,” he told officers during his police interview.

After one of his arrests, Tatchell was found to be in possession of cannabis, GHB and methamphetamine. Picture: Generic

Weeks later, emergency services were called after Tatchell was found asleep in the middle of a road in Red Cliffs.

When officers arrived, Tatchell was shirtless and behaving erratically. A search of a pink bumbag he was carrying uncovered Ziploc bags, digital scales, and a quantity of drugs.

Police then searched a nearby car Tatchell identified as his, where they found nearly 10g of cannabis, 2.4g of methamphetamine, and approximately 100ml of GHB.

In September, Tatchell was arrested after police found him driving a black Holden Commodore with cloned number plates. Officers found 1g of methamphetamine in his pocket.

“I borrowed the car off a mate and didn’t know it was stolen,” he told police.

Tatchell’s lawyer Robyn Greensill told the court her client believed he had suffered a broken leg while behind bars and hadn’t been able to have it seen to by a doctor.

Ms Greensill also said her client wanted to move away from Mildura once these matters had been dealt with.

Magistrate Patrick Southey urged Tatchell to explore options outside of Mildura once he had finished serving his sentence.

Magistrate Patrick Southey gave Tatchell a discount for pleading guilty, but refused to give him a community corrections order, instead handing him a straight prison sentence, and urging him to explore options outside of Mildura when he was released.

“Had you not pleaded guilty, Mr Tatchell, you would have received a sentence of six months imprisonment,” Mr Southey said.

“You’ve got to try to work out something new, because this hasn’t been working for you. You have a really serious criminal history,” he said.

Tatchell was given a total effective sentence of four months behind bars and had his licence suspended for six months.

With 41 days reckoned as pre-sentence detention, he will likely be released in late April 2025.