- Yusuf Amir stole soccer star’s $150,000 Range Rover
- Was sentenced in Melbourne court on Tuesday
- The judge was scathing during the sentencing
A “madman” who stole Richmond superstar Dusty Martin’s $150,000 Range Rover was driven off the road five hours after the theft by police.
Details of how Yusuf Amir stole the attacker’s luxury car before being hit by a police car five hours later have been revealed at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court as he faced being sentenced.
The 30-year-old was driving with a friend in St Kilda in January this year when he jumped from the vehicle after seeing a luxury Range Rover driving past a Coles Express service station.
He stole Martin’s car, which had then been loaned to a friend, and fled.
Police were able to spot Amir five hours later and he was arrested after ramming a police car in an attempt to flee.
Amir returned to court on Tuesday, where magistrate Suzanne Cameron described him as “crazy”.
Martin (pictured) had lent his Range Rover worth $150,000 to a friend when it was stolen and destroyed during a wild police chase.
Thief Yusuf Amir (pictured) was slammed by magistrate Suzanne Cameron, who told him he had no right to jump into other people’s expensive cars and drive off “into the sunset”.
He asked to be released from prison into “intensive” drug and alcohol treatment.
This was rejected by Ms Cameron, who said he had a “disturbing” tendency to do the same thing over and over again.
“There’s this tendency to jump on people’s expensive rides … and take off into the sunset,” she said.
“I have three cars stolen here, a Range Rover, a Volvo and a Mazda… It’s a clear trend that poses a risk to the community.”
The court heard that just weeks before stealing Martin’s car, Amir stole a Mazda CX9 worth $50,000 and, a month earlier, stole a car worth $40,000.
Amir, who pleaded guilty to 30 charges including theft of a motor vehicle and damaging an emergency vehicle by careless driving, had said he was now “more mature”.
Martin’s vehicle (pictured) was found in Melbourne’s east after it was damaged when Amir crashed into a police car as he tried to escape.
But Ms Cameron noted he had been placed under the same order he was now applying for in 2016 for “strikingly similar offences”, and had absconded and continued to offend after just nine weeks on the program .
“It’s just legit, isn’t it,” she said.
“You don’t get seamless travel… you’re still a young man, you have a whole life to live, you have to decide what you want that to look like.”
Amir, who wore a dark suit as he sat in the dock flanked by two court officers, agreed, saying: “Yes, you are right.”
“I’ve never had a job in my life, that’s why I want to quit,” he said.
“I did my best… there wasn’t a lot of support and all that.”
Amir wanted to be released from prison so he could receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Instead, the judge locked him up for 15 months
His lawyer told the court that although his client had “failed badly” in the past, he wanted to change.
“He’s really looking to break the pattern and break the cycle that brings him back into custody.”
The court heard Amir had spent “a large part” of his adult life in and out of prison and had a long criminal history.
Ms Cameron found that apart from Amir’s comments, he had shown “no signs of being deterred” from his criminal activities and had been suspected of drug dealing while on remand.
He was jailed for 15 months and his license was suspended for a year.
