A PRISON sentence of more than seven years was handed down to a Mount Gambier man for a crime-spree described by the court as “a terrifying rampage against innocent and unsuspecting citizens”.
Ryan John Oborne, 26, was sentenced for a “drug-fuelled” binge on July 27 last year when he threatening two people with a knife, rammed a car off the road and stole multiple others.
Oborne surrendered himself to police the next day after he came out of his drug induced haze and was taking into custody.
He appeared before Judge Sydney Tilmouth in the Adelaide District Court on June 7 to be sentenced on two aggravated counts of robbery, making off without making a payment, driving disqualified, driving dangerously and using a motor vehicle without consent.
According to court documents Oborne’s spree started at a Millicent service station where he drove off without paying $22 for fuel.
He drove to Penola and fell asleep at the wheel in the middle of a minor road.
When passersby tried to assist, he stole a utility from one of them, wielding a knife.
Osborne drove to the Monbulla area, ramming a car in an attempt to overtake.
There he took another car from home occupants in frightening circumstances – threatening them with a knife while children were present.
In his sentencing remarks Judge Tilmouth said Oborne had a patchy memory of events which was consistent with heavy drug use in the days leading up to the crime-spree.
“The regrettable consequences of consumption of such harmful and addictive drugs as ice are all too common in the community, particularly in the Mount Gambier area,” Judge Tilmouth said.
“It is perfectly clear from a psychological report before the court that your chances of rehabilitation, the risk of reoffending and the consequent safety of the community is dependent upon total abstinence from drug taking.
“The prognosis at the moment remains poor because you have a history of relapse of well over a decade.”
Judge Tilmouth said the prevalence of drug-fuelled violence – particularly under the influence of ice – and the seriousness of the offences called for general and personal deterrence.
He sentenced Oborne to seven years, two months and two weeks behind bars with a non-parole period of four years.
Judge Tilmouth described the non-parole period as “relatively merciful” since Oborne had remained drug-free in prison and was set on successfully completing his rehabilitation.
In addition Oborne was disqualified from driving or obtaining a driver’s licence for four years.
The sentence was backdated to July 28 last year.
