Eric Roy Anthony pleads guilty to driving when drug positive at Redbank Plains

Eric Anthony was tracked by police dog in Swanbank bushland after the ute he was in got bogged while fleeing police.

THE driver of a red Holden Cruze with stolen number plates drove in the wrong direction on the Ipswich Motorway in a desperate attempt to escape police, before ditching the car and jumping into a ute.

An Ipswich court this week heard the ute continued to try to outrun police, even after having a tyre torn by a police deflation device.

Eric Roy Anthony, 31, from Yarrabilba, this week pleaded guilty to driving when drug positive (methylamphetamine) on May 22 at Redbank Plains.

Prosecutor Sergeant Paul Caldwell outlined the context of the charge, saying police saw a red Holden Cruze at 8.25pm in Redbank Plains displaying a number plate that was reported as stolen.

Police tried to intercept the vehicle but its driver evaded the patrol car, travelling in the incorrect lane.

Sgt Caldwell said it was driven in the wrong direction along the Ipswich Motorway and was seen to be followed closely by a green Triton ute.

The court heard two people got out of the Holden and ran to the ute, which did a U-turn and sped away.

A police helicopter was then deployed to follow the ute, the court heard.

Eric Roy Anthony outside Ipswich Courthouse.

Sgt Caldwell said the ute continued driving to Swanbank, where it collided with two temporary fences at a construction site.

It continued into bushland but became bogged. Three passengers abandoned the ute and ran off into the darkness.

The dog squad was called in and Anthony was located and arrested.

Sgt Caldwell said Anthony was seen to be excessively sweating and suffering “cotton mouth”.

He was taken to the police watch-house and then to hospital where a blood swab was taken.

When analysed it tested positive to methylamphetamine.

“I just got released from prison on August 12,” Anthony told the court.

Sgt Caldwell said Anthony had been sentenced to nine months jail for several matters by a Beenleigh court on August 12, and with time already served in custody had been granted parole.

Sgt Caldwell said the related charges he was sentenced for on that day included dangerous operation of a motor vehicle on May 22; driving an unregistered vehicle; and having plates attached that belonged to another vehicle.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess took into account the fact that the charge before the court had been left over from those proceedings due to the time required for the drug analysis to be taken.

Anthony was convicted with no further penalty imposed.