Carjacker Blames Former Premier's SUV for Life of Crime

A man who pleaded guilty to carjacking and burglary has told detectives that a 2013 collision with former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews' SUV was a pivotal moment that led to his life of crime and methamphetamine use.

Ryan Meuleman, 28, who had previously sued Andrews after sustaining injuries in the crash, entered guilty pleas in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to charges including carjacking, commercial burglary, and theft.

When questioned by police about his criminal activity, Meuleman described a bleak trajectory, stating, "If I had a happy life, I wouldn't have an episode or bottled up sadness or anger." His lawyer, Tom Smedley, informed the court that the 2013 crash, which occurred when Meuleman was 15, significantly altered his life's course.

The court heard that the collision left Meuleman with a punctured lung, broken ribs, and a ruptured spleen, necessitating its partial removal. Mr. Smedley told the court, "Ryan identified this period as a significant turning point in his life, and reported that substance use increased following this event." He added that Meuleman began using alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism for psychological distress, which eventually became his primary method of managing emotions.

Meuleman had initiated defamation proceedings against Dan and Catherine Andrews in November of the previous year concerning the 2013 collision. At the time of the crash, Andrews, who was the opposition leader, was a passenger in the vehicle with his three children, while his wife was driving. Police had cleared both Andrews and his wife of any wrongdoing.

Previously, the court heard that the crash led Meuleman to escalate from cannabis use to methamphetamine. "Substance use has started from a very young and tender age, and has been a problem for him since then," Mr. Smedley stated.

Following the crash, Meuleman became homeless around age 17 and remained transient. "It was during that time that his drug addiction became worse, and unsurprisingly, that coincides with the commencement of his criminal priors," his lawyer said. Between 2016 and 2018, Meuleman received a community corrections order after stealing a car while intoxicated and homeless.

In the most recent incident, on May 3, a mother was forced to struggle with Meuleman for the gearstick of her car, with her two children in the back seat, as he attempted to drive away from a suburban laundromat. The court heard that Meuleman entered the Kia, driven by the woman's husband who had left the engine running while he went inside. The woman confronted Meuleman as he attempted to drive off, and a physical struggle ensued. The woman's husband intervened, punching Meuleman through the window and restraining him until police arrived.

Another incident detailed involved Meuleman breaking into a BP service station in Heathcote. He climbed a ladder, broke through the ceiling, and dropped inside, attempting to steal keys before anti-theft smoke canisters activated, forcing him to flee back through the ceiling.

Mr. Smedley had sought to defer Meuleman's sentencing to allow him to enter a residential rehabilitation facility. Meuleman has already spent 156 days in custody awaiting the conclusion of his matters. His lawyer argued the carjacking was at the lower end of the offending spectrum, as no violence was used and the car moved only a short distance. He also noted there was no evidence Meuleman knew children were in the car.

However, Magistrate Samantha Seoud refused to defer the sentence, requesting a neuropsychological report and a victim impact statement before considering sentencing. The case is scheduled to return to court in December.

In 2024, Meuleman settled a separate legal action against his former lawyers, Slater & Gordon, over allegations of failing to adequately investigate the 2013 incident.