Sentence to stay alive

A MOE youth has been sentenced to 12 months at a youth justice centre after a recent spree of criminal activity.

At the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Magistrate Clive Alsop told the 18 year-old the sentence was “to keep (you) alive”.

“This is the real world; when you are released, you need to think about (your actions),” Mr Alsop said.

The man was also disqualified from driving for two years.

Over a four-day period, the man and a co-accused stole four vehicles and a quantity of petrol numerous times at various locations in Gippsland.

The man was also charged with driving without a licence, driving at high speed and colliding with a police vehicle in Morwell.

The court heard the man had made full admissions to 16 charges and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.