James Noel Harvey flees police in rental car while high on ice, adding to ‘appalling’ record

An iced-up driver has added to his sordid criminal history, which his lawyer said was linked to a meth addiction beginning after the death of his father.

James Noel Harvey is charged with a string of offences over a dramatic car chase throughout Mackay.

A Mackay man has been caught for the fourth time driving dangerously under the influence of meth.

James Noel Harvey’s latest drug driving on November 4 and 5 occurred just a month after being released from jail.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said she had never “seen such a terrible traffic history”.

Despite his “appalling” history, Ms Hartigan heard Harvey had “only been acting in this way for about three years”.

“I’m told that your dad died in April 2018 and from that time you spiralled into drug use,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You need to get control of your drug problem.”

Defence lawyer Adam Sellentin said his client’s history was “shocking” for “such a short period of time”.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to speeding away from police in someone else’s rental car and with a disqualified licence, while high and veering onto the wrong side of the road.

Prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao said police found 3.882 grams of meth and drug utensils in his things the next day.

A total of nine charges included dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a vehicle, unlicensed driving, evading police, obstructing police, and possessing excess amounts of dangerous drugs.

Ms Hartigan said Harvey’s traffic history was a repetitive “constellation of facts”.

“This is his fourth offence of dangerous operation … five previous evade (police), six previous disqualified driving, two previous excess (drug) possession,” Ms Hartigan said.

“(Many while) on parole for (similar) offending.

“You’ve been in jail before and you haven’t learned your lesson.”

Harvey was involved in a dramatic car chase just weeks into previous parole in January 2020 when he rammed police car while high and rolled his car in the centre of Mackay.

A subsequent search of his home revealed 4.552g of meth, 40g marijuana, various drug utensils and more than a grand in cash.

The court heard his first drug-driving charge was in September 2019 when he drove the wrong way around the Harbour Road roundabout and fled police.

Having been in jail since his arrest on November 5, a video call showed Harvey putting his head in his hands as his offending was detailed.

Harvey received a two and a half year head sentence and his parole eligibility date set for December 8 with his release subject to the parole board.

His licence was disqualified for five years.