Ian Patrick Jackson, 33, of Shepparton was sentenced at Shepparton County Koori Court on February 14 to three years in jail with a non-parole period of 16 months.
Judge Scott Johns described Jackson’s driving on May 12, 2021, as “simply outrageous”.
“It is self-indulgent and selfish to place people in danger because you don’t want to be apprehended by police and because you don’t care about yourself or anyone else,” he said.
The court heard there was a warrant out for Jackson’s arrest when he was seen driving a stolen Audi by police in Shepparton.
Jackson was pursued by police in two unmarked cars from Archer St as he drove erratically and at high speeds, at times on the wrong side of the road and running a red light to evade police.
On St George’s Rd, Jackson tried to ram his way out when he got stuck behind a civilian vehicle and the police vehicles boxed him in, and nearly struck a police officer who had got out of the car.
Jackson made a break for it when the women driving the car in front of him moved to get away from him.
The court heard Jackson dumped the Audi near Shepparton Golf Club where he then fled on foot and hid in bushland from police, who couldn’t find him.
Police found a bag in the car with contents including knuckle dusters, cash, shotgun ammunition and cartridges and two zip-lock bags containing methamphetamine and cannabis.
When interviewed by police he said he had driven “as dangerous as possible”, hoping the pursuit would be called off.
During the sentencing conversation — part of the Koori Court process — Elder Aunty Pam Pederson told Jackson he could have killed the woman driving the car he rammed, and in his sentencing remarks Judge Johns said those words should ring in Jackson’s ears.
Judge Johns also said he accepted Jackson had a traumatic past underlying his behaviour and drug use that he needed to address, and had started to in custody.
The court heard Jackson was homeless by 14 and gravitated towards substance abuse; however, he completed Year 11 at high school in Shepparton and apprenticeships in carpentry and landscaping.
Judge Johns said this level of education and training showed prospects for him to gain employment and “make something of [himself]” on release from custody.
Judge Johns found Jackson had a level of appropriate remorse for his conduct and he had reasonable prospects of rehabilitation, if he engaged with the support offered to him.
Jackson pleaded guilty to dangerous or negligent driving while being pursued by police, damaging property, an aggravated offence of recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving, damaging an emergency service vehicle, possession of a drug of dependence, handling stolen goods and theft.
He also pleaded guilty to related summary offences of unlicensed driving, possessing a controlled weapon, dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing cartridge ammunition and resisting an emergency worker on duty.
On top of his jail sentence, Jackson was fined $500 for possessing ammunition and ordered to pay compensation to the woman whose car he damaged.
His driver’s licence was cancelled and disqualified for two years.
He will be eligible for parole in about five months, having already served 317 days.
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