Mega fail: Wanted man's escape plan goes down the drain

HAPHAZARD escape plan fell to pieces completely.

Mitchell Francis Callaghan, 22, from Grasstree Beach told police he tried to escape them because he panicked after smoking an 'unknown' drug through a glass pipe. Picture: Facebook

A GRASSTREE Beach man who fled from police ditched his car after it became bogged in a drain.

But it wasn't difficult for officers to identify Mitchell Francis Callaghan.

His already haphazard escape plan fell to pieces completely when officers found his wallet and photo ID in the car.

Callaghan, 22, fronted Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday from prison via videolink, where he's locked up due to pending matters.

Unrepresented, he pleaded guilty to driving without a licence disqualified by court order (for disqualified driving) and driving unregistered on August 9 in North Mackay, and contravening a police direction to provide identifying particulars on August 17.

Police were looking for Callaghan when he drove off at speed from a service station on August 9, and his car was reported parked behind homes in North Mackay about an hour later, according to prosecutor Shelby Larcombe.

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Officers watched on as Callaghan ran off, leaving his unlocked car behind in a drainage area - complete with his wallet and distinctive tie-die jumper.

Callaghan later told officers he'd "smoked an unknown drug through a glass pipe” and panicked when he saw police, not knowing he was already wanted.

"It was just a common mistake ... I take full responsibility,” he told Magistrate Scott Luxton.

The magistrate said Callaghan had a record of disqualified and unlicenced driving, though did note a timely plea.

Callaghan was fined $2003 in total and his licence was disqualified for two more years, until January, 2020.

Originally published as Mega fail: Wanted man's escape plan goes down the drain