Dangerous driver jailed for Chermside to Rockhampton police chase

A Rockhampton man who stole a Honda from Westfield Chermside and then led police on a chase to Central Queensland had been convicted of similar dangerous driving five years earlier.

A Rockhampton man who stole a Honda from Westfield Chermside and then led police on a chase in Central Queensland had been convicted of similar dangerous driving five years earlier.

Grant Allen Smith, 41, pleaded guilty on July 16 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, driving while State Penalty Enforcement Registry suspended, assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, driving without a licence, failing to stop, along with two counts each of attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing, trespass and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He stole the Honda in February and was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle for his driving on the Bruce Highway at East End, near Mount Larcom.

Smith also kicked a car door, attempted to steal a car in November 2020, and attempted to steal another on February 18, 2021.

He also trespassed on February 19 and stole a car from Alton Downs on February 19.

Smith had a 10 page criminal record and a three page traffic record which included three convictions for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in 2015 and an unlawful use of a motor vehicle in 2019.

The facts for the 2021 charges were seven-pages long.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said there were roadworks being carried out during parts of the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle offending this year.

She said traffic controllers and truck drivers were on the phone to police about Smith’s driving at Raglan which involved driving over double white lines and speeding.

Ms Bain said Smith drove through traffic lights at the road works and drove on the wrong side of the road towards oncoming traffic

“When police actually saw the vehicle, they saw it coming over the crest of a hill on the wrong side of the road,” she said.

Ms Bain said police followed it at a distance and it kept speeding away from police, driving dangerously by overtaking vehicles by crossing double white lines and travelling towards oncoming traffic.

She said Smith disobeyed two more traffic lights at roadworks.

Ms Bain said he also drove into a BP petrol station and tried to fill up, driving in such a manner that put people’s lives at risk.

She said Smith also drove on the wrong side of the road, at speed and drove through road works where people were walking around while working.

Ms Bain said Smith’s prior dangerous operation of a motor vehicle conviction took place after police tried to intercept a suspected stolen vehicle on March 13, 2015.

She said that offending involved Smith swerving off the road, sideswiping a stationary vehicle and crashing into a third vehicle.

Ms Bain said Smith continued swerving off the road, onto nature strips and back onto the road.

She said there was also a fail to stop at an intersection offence, driving at speed, driving at night time without lights on for most of the time - only turning lights on when cars were coming in the opposite direction and then turning them off again.

“There was a police chase on the highway all the way up to Marlborough,” Ms Bain said.

She said he was intercepted and apprehended in Sarina.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said it sounded like these sets of offences were less protracted than those from 2015 because Smith ran out of petrol.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said his client had rather a poor history.

“A majority of these charges were born of desperation,” he said.

Mr Cagney said Smith had a tough time being housed after being released from prison, had his belongings packed up and he elected to steal this vehicle.

He said Smith operated the vehicle in a dangerous way to avoid being caught.

Mr Cagney said Smith was in a low place in his life.

He said while no one was injured during the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle offence, Smith did carry out the assault occasioning bodily harm when he got into a “scuffle” with a family friend as he tried to operate a car and was being denied to do so.

Ms Beckinsale sentenced Smith to a 33-month prison term as the head sentence, disqualified him from driving for two years, ordered he pay restitution for stolen fuel of $18.80 and $3.05, along with $1000 for damage to a car.

She declared 144 days of presentence custody as time served and set parole release on January 22, 2022.