Phillip John Blake, 35, of Nowra pleaded not guilty to a number of charges including break, enter and steal, with Nowra Local Court Magistrate Gabriel Fleming finding him not guilty after a hearing on Wednesday, September 25.

Police had alleged Blake broke into the Nowra Speedway Complex, off Albatross Road, West Nowra between 9pm on January 6 and 6.15am on January 7, gaining access to the canteen area, a shipping container and a control tower.

Police alleged he had stolen a number of items including two Suzuki four-wheel drive vehicles which were used at the complex to provide fire safety during race events. One was recovered suffering minor front end damage, while the other vehicle, although recovered in nearby bushland, had been totally destroyed by fire.

Police said a PA system, two-way radios, $1000 worth of various types of meat, four to five boxes of frozen ice creams and 30 cans of soft drinks were also destroyed in the vehicle fire.

Blake did plead guilty to four charges of possessing a prohibited drug, having goods suspected of being stolen and entering enclosed lands.

Police said Blake was arrested on February 12 this year in Nowra and found to be in possession of a quantity of drugs, including 5.7 grams of ice, 55 suboxone buprenorphine strips, 52 white oxymetholone tablets and 46 cannabis seeds weighing 1.11 grams.

He was also charged having a Symbol brand electric bar code scanner, suspected of being stolen.

Magistrate Fleming placed him on a 12-month community corrections order, meaning he can serve his sentence within the community, instead of behind bars.

Read more: Crime/Court

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