Trajce Aleksovski pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to twelve charges just one month after release from jail

A 44-year-old former Olympian has fronted court for twelve offences including a major, high speed police chase through Roma’s town centre. Here’s all the details.

A 44-year-old Canberra man has landed in court after he racked up twelve charges during a wild crime spree in south west Queensland.

Trajce Aleksovski pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing registration plates, two counts of evading police, two counts of stealing fuel, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and five counts of disqualified driving.

Police prosecutions said the defendant’s recent offending was a “prolonged pattern of behaviour over a short span of time”.

Aleksovski has been jailed numerous times for similar offences, most recently for seven months in the ACT back in October 2021, however he was released early in January 2022.

One month later in February 2022, Aleksovski was back to his usual tricks after he stole a car from a Roma address and used it to steal registration plates, the court was told.

Further, he committed two fuel drive offs valued at $71.45 and $50.81.

In October 2022, Aleksovski’s offending came to a peak after a high speed police chase that officers had to abandon after it became too dangerous to the public.

The defendant was spotted driving 100km/h in 60km/h zones throughout the Roma CBD, and driving at speeds of 150km/h in the 80km/h zone near Bungil Creek bridge.

Witnesses shortly after saw Aleksovski dump the stolen vehicle 500m from his residence in Roma.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said onlookers observed him “sweating profusely and puffing from running and saying ‘I need to get rid of the vehicle, the cops will be coming’.”

“This is particularly serious offending, even without your history,” Mr Elliott said.

“And amongst all this offending, you five times drove whilst disqualified from holding a licence.”

Defence lawyer Leslee Reed said her client, who was a former Olympian and now a painter by trade, was remorseful for his actions.

She said he was affected by drugs and alcohol at the time of his offending and has plans to move back to Canberra and live with his daughter.

The magistrate said he considered Aleksovski’s 152 days of pre-sentence custody as time served and released him immediately with a 15 month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to pay $122.26 in restitution for the two stealing fuel offences.