Jason Ferry sentenced at Gladstone for evading police

A Commodore driver has paid a hefty price for his moment of madness on a Central Queensland road - but it could have been even worse.

Jason Peter Ferry (inset).

A man who evaded police at Gladstone by running a red light has paid a high price for his moment of madness.

Jason Peter Ferry, 47, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 15 to charges including evasion.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said it was “essentially poor driving” at Clinton which brought Ferry’s Holden Commodore to the attention of police before he committed the evasion offence.

The court heard that police activated lights and sirens but Ferry did not stop, instead running a red light to get away.

Ferry had a four-page criminal history and a six-page traffic history, with the court hearing he had never committed an evasion offence previously.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The prosecution submitted because of Ferry’s traffic history, rather than the $7740 fine for evasion, he be required to serve 50 days in jail.

Solicitor Cam Schroder said Ferry’s judgement on the day had been affected by painkillers he was prescribed by a doctor.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined Ferry $8000 and sentenced him to one month jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years and convictions were recorded.