Gianluca Severino allegedly in Pine St, Reservoir with drugs, cash after motorbike fall
A man who fell off a motorcycle in the middle of a Reservoir street then ran from police allegedly had a huge stash of drugs, cash and designer watches on him. And he had an interesting excuse for where he was going early in the morning.
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A man who ran from police after falling off a motorcycle in the middle of a Reservoir street was allegedly carrying a huge stash of drugs, cash and designer watches.
Gianluca Severino allegedly told police he was on his way to meet his girlfriend at a restaurant in the city when they caught him on foot about 12.30am, Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court has heard.
The 32-year-old had a second shot at applying for bail on Wednesday, July 22, having been locked up since he was arrested on February 9.
Severino was allegedly caught on Pine St with about 33g of methamphetamine between nine plastic bags — 11 times the trafficable quantity of the drug — and 790g of GHB.
He was also allegedly carrying $2330 cash, two Tag Heuer watches, worth about $12,100 and believed to be proceeds of crime, the key to a stolen Audi, two phones and three sets of scales.
Minutes before the arrest police had seen Severino riding a motorcycle on High St, reporting he appeared unsteady and was swerving to stay in his lane.
He allegedly made an unbalanced turn without indicating and accelerated off, before police lost him.
Two minutes later police found the motorcycle in the middle of Pine St, and a witness told them he’d heard a loud bang.
Severino was allegedly seen running down the street, still wearing his helmet and backpack, and didn’t stop when asked by police.
When he was arrested police found he had abrasions from the fall, wasn’t licensed to drive a motorcycle and was wanted over a car theft.
When police went through a “known drug user’s’’ phone on February 20, they allegedly found texts in which the man arranged to buy drugs from Severino.
Severino was also charged with stealing a Toyota Kluger, which police found bearing cloned number plates in Heidelberg West on November 2.
His fingerprints were allegedly found on the inside and outside of the car, and documents in his name were in the car.
With Severino having been refused bail in April, his lawyer proposed he be granted bail on the new circumstance that he’d been offered a place at a residential drug rehabilitation facility outside Melbourne.
The manager of the private hospital gave evidence that staff would contact police if Severino absconded from their care.
Magistrate Jennifer Tregent said she was “somewhat cynical” about the arrangement, saying police had a strong case against Severino for drug trafficking.
Severino’s lawyer said his client would concede to the trafficking charges, but the other charges could take some time to sort out, while custody was particularly onerous due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Tregent agreed to grant bail, ordering Severino reappear before her in 30 days.
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