Ronnie Phillip Charles Lovett pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court to four separate charges

Ronnie Phillip Charles Lovett pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on September 7 to shoplifting, not complying with direction from police, and using an unregistered car without a licence.

According to court documents, police received multiple calls about 1pm on August 19 this year to attend the bus stop on the intersection of Howick Street and William Street in Bathurst where men were reportedly throwing glass bottles.

Police arrived on scene and saw Lovett sitting down. He told officers - who noticed his speech was slurred and smelt of alcohol - that everything was fine and that he would "behave".

The court heard that police received a call twenty minutes later to attend the Bathurst Post Office where four people were fighting.

On their arrival, police saw the 35-year-old brawling with another male in the carpark of Coles.

Police approached and noticed Lovett had a shiny glass object in his hand before he placed it in his pocket. A search by police found that it was shattered glass from a bottle.

Due to two different calls in relation to two separate matters, the court was told that police determined Lovett was causing fear and alarm and was therefore given an official move on direction.

About 2pm on the same day, Lovett took a 700ml Firestarter Vodka bottle worth $58 from Bernardi's IGA Bathurst and left without purchasing.

An IGA employee chased Lovett in an attempt to get the bottle back but Lovett ran until he entered a carpark on Parrish Lane and hid underneath a car.

Police found Lovett before he was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station where he was charged with shoplifting and not complying with direction given by a police officer.

On a separate occasion, police were conducting patrols in West Bathurst when they saw a silver Kia Rio travelling north along Larson Street before it turned into Hill Street about 6pm on August 15 this year.

Police conducted a check on the vehicle and found that it was not registered. They activated their warning devices and signaled the driver - Lovett - to stop.

Police approached the driver's window of the vehicle at the same time Lovett got out of the car.

The court heard that Lovett and the passenger told police they were going to the shops to get some items before the passenger's bail curfew began.

Lovett admitted to police that he didn't have a license and recently bought the car but didn't have a chance to change or check the registration which had expired on June 1 in 2021.

During sentencing, Lovett told the court that he is a participant in a hospital program that helps with his drinking after he was denied admission to a rehabilitation centre due to a prior manslaughter charge.

Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis noted that Lovett had been off parole for six months when the offences took place.

"I've had a pretty good run to be honest," Lovett said in response.

Lovett was sentenced to a 12-month community correction order with supervision at Bathurst Community Corrections.

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