Ashley Richard Barry sentenced after joy ride in stolen car injures himself and passengers

A hoon who sparked a wild police chase with passengers in tow drove at crazy speeds and on the wrong side of the road – but it came to a crashing halt when road spikes were deployed.

A new father whose joy ride in a stolen car left himself and his two passengers injured needs to “pull his head in” and turn his life around, a court has heard.

Ashley Richard Barry, 20, was disqualified from driving when he sparked a wild police chase that ended with road spikes being deployed.

The Adelaide District Court heard police saw Barry driving a stolen Toyota Camry at Port Adelaide on April 15, 2021.

“You performed a series of evasive manoeuvres to avoid police scrutiny,” Judge Timothy Heffernan said during sentencing.

Police set up a cordon at North Adelaide.

“You drove through that cordon without stopping and in the process collided with and caused damage to a police car,” Judge Heffernan said.

Barry travelled up to speeds of 110 km/h and on occasions was driving on the wrong side of the road.

“Your course of driving ended when you swerved to avoid road spikes narrowly missing a police officer, leaving the road and colliding with a sign post,” Judge Heffernan said.

Barry ran away from the scene but was located nearby a short time later.

The two passengers in his car suffered injuries, including one who dislocated their shoulder.

Barry also sustained injuries as a result of the collision but ended up absconding from the hospital.

Ashley Barry dodged jail for his joy ride in a stolen car. Photo: Facebook

Barry, of Taperoo, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously in order to escape police pursuit and two counts of causing harm by dangerous driving.

The court heard Barry, who spent most of his childhood in Whyalla, wanted to rehabilitate so he could be a part of his nine-month-old daughter’s life.

“To use your own words, Mr Barry … you must pull your head in and that is going to require considerable effort on your part,” Judge Heffernan said.

Taking into account the time Barry had already spent in custody, Judge Heffernan sentenced him to 11 months jail.

He also disqualified him from driving for five years.

“High speed chases such as this are a danger to the community and the police officers involved,” Judge Heffernan said.

“They can easily lead to someone being killed.

“Your two passengers were injured and it does not make the offences of causing injury to them less serious just because they appear to have been willing to go along with what you were doing; joy-riding in a stolen vehicle.”

Due to Barry’s remorse and his support network, the sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.

“For everyone’s sake, including yours, you must not waste the opportunity that I am going to give you today,” Judge Heffernan said.