Cranbourne smash teen Jack Ledlin jailed after southeast crime spree
As the one-year anniversary of a horror smash that claimed the lives of two teenagers and left a girl fighting for life in Cranbourne approaches, the teen who stole the car involved in the crash is in more strife.
South East
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A Baxter teen who went on a crime spree after stealing the car involved in a horrific crash which killed two of his friends in Cranbourne last year has been jailed.
Jack Ledlin, 19, was sentenced to eight months following the spree which saw him snatch two cars, credit cards and slabs of Jim Beam between Patterson Lakes and his home suburb — all while on a community corrections order.
And despite Ledlin’s lawyer pushing for a second chance at a corrections order as a result of his client’s horticultural work and enrolment in courses while in custody, Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said he “simply didn’t” agree the young hoon had spent enough time behind bars.
“The first community corrections order did nothing at all, he reoffended … it’s not an option," Mr Vandersteen said.
“He’s very settled and stable (in custody) there’s no doubt about that … but he seemed to disengage very quickly (last time) and that’s a shame.”
Ledlin pleaded guilty to charges including theft of motor vehicle, possess drug of dependence and commit indictable offence on bail 11 months after a Holden Commodore he stole slammed into another car on the South Gippsland Highway on August 11, killing his friends Byron Hampton, 16, and Jordy Kirkwood, 18, and leaving his girlfriend Dakoda Nicholson, 17, with critical spinal injuries.
Driver Dylan Cassidy — who fled the scene by foot while passenger Ledlin stopped to help — told police he had taken a cocktail of ice, cannabis and alcohol before the accident.
Ledlin also pleaded guilty to a driving causing loss of traction from an incident dating back to August 3.
Mr Vandersteen, who spoke at Dandenong Magistrates Court via video link from Melbourne Magistrates Court, said Ledlin would have been sentenced to a year in prison if he hadn’t pleaded guilty.
“You were involved in a very serious accident last year and you have experienced more than anyone in this courtroom … you’ve seen the danger of theft of a motor vehicle and what can arise from it,” he told Ledlin.
“As you get older I hope you can slow down your thinking and wonder the consequences of your behaviour.”
Ledlin was sentenced to eight months imprisonment including 49 days already served and was disqualified from obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months.
He will be made eligible for release in two months.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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