A man who drove down a footpath in Melbourne's CBD and deliberately crashed into three banks before driving into the foyer of Crown Casino has claimed he became confused after accidentally drinking petrol.

Chen Jie Xu has been sentenced to 13 months jail over the rampage which took place last June.

During court proceedings Melbourne Magistrates' Court released CCTV of the SUV smashing through the casino's glass doors and coming to a stop at the top of an escalator.

The East Burwood man drove down the footpath along Swanston Street as pedestrians ran to avoid the car, before deliberately driving into the front of the ANZ, Commonwealth and Westpac banks.

Security vision shows Xu reversing at the casino's doors to allow a cleaner to exit the building, before smashing through the glass and parking in the foyer.

Xu told police he had accidentally drunk petrol from a bottle inside the car and became confused as he looked for a bathroom to drink some water, according to court documents.

He also admitted to taking cocaine earlier in the night.

In sentencing, Magistrate John Bentley said he did not believe Xu's explanation.

"How could someone, he's drunk petrol and on cocaine, navigate himself to the Crown Casino car park?" he asked.

"He was intent on a destructive path."

Shattered glass in the doorway of a Commonwealth Bank after the crash. ( ABC News )

Both the prosecutor and Xu's defence lawyer agreed he had not intended to hurt anyone.

Magistrate Bentley replied it was fortunate pedestrians had managed to avoid the car.

"It's clear they're all fleeing the footpath … it could have been much worse," he said.

Xu was taken to hospital after being arrested on the gaming floor of the casino.

Cocaine was detected in his system.

Xu pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering serious injury, possessing a controlled weapon without lawful excuse and damaging the glass security doors at Crown Casino and the three banks, each valued at $10,000.

He has already spent five and a half months in jail and will be eligible for parole in about six weeks.

Temporary bollards were installed in the area the weekend after the rampage, in response to recent incidents in the city and terror attacks abroad.

In January, a car drove into pedestrians on Bourke Street, killing six people.