‘Disgraced’ dad jailed for high on ice police chase

A father who led a wild 22km police chase across the Coast while high on ice and armed has been jailed for more than three years.

SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE DISCUSS USE WITH YOUR EDITOR - Police had been tracking Gary Anthony Barker, 37, for two weeks, and the stolen Nissan X-Trial had been spotted in various locations across the Coast, including Sunshine Plaza.

A FATHER who led a wild 22km police chase across the Coast while high on ice and armed has been jailed for more than three years. 

It was school pick-up time on August 28 when Gary Anthony Barker, 38, was spooked by a police car while he was pulling out of a shopping centre carpark at Caloundra in a stolen car.

He was on parole at the time.

Tyre spikes were deployed by police as Barker led officers on a 22km chase to Currimundi.

Maroochydore District Court heard he drove through seven red traffic lights, exceeded speeds of 100km/h in residential areas, and damaged four other cars as he sideswiped them.

The tyre spikes didn't stop him.

"For the most part, he drove in the middle of the dual carriage way on Kawana Way in heavy traffic conditions, forcing other motorists to take evasive action," crown prosecutor Will Slack said.

"He further drove the wrong way around the roundabout and drove above 100km/h past the Kawana Police Station.

"Another tyre deflation device was deployed and police were able to box the defendant in with their police cars so that he stopped in Nicklin Way."

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Police searched the car and found a shortened rifle, ammunition, 5g of marijuana, and diazepam tablets.

Dozens of armed police officers forcefully wrestling an allegedly offender to the ground after a wild police pursuit along Nicklin Way.

A blood test revealed Barker had methamphetamine in his system as well as benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine.

Barker's parole was suspended the next day and he was returned to prison.

Today he appeared by video link from Woodford Correctional Centre to plead guilty to 10 charges including dangerously operating a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.

Defence lawyer Nathan Turner read from a letter written by Barker that was tendered to the court.

"There is no excuse. I am disgraced by my past behaviour and this behaviour," Barker wrote.

"I take full responsibility for my wrong doing and I know it is up to me to change."

Mr Turner said Barker had also expressed to an instructing solicitor that he felt like he had failed his three children.

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Mr Turner then read from a letter written by Barker's mother who sat in the gallery.

"His mother says that he has told her 'I can't do this anymore. I could of hurt someone. I'm 38 years old, this is embarrassing'," Mr Turner read.

He said Barker was a removalist who suffered a brain injury resulting from a car accident and health problems from a cancer diagnosis in 2005.

He highlighted Barker did not personally steal the car involved in last year's police chase and that no one was injured.

Mr Turner said Barker was open to drug rehabilitation which he had not previously participated in.

"Ice takes over you," Barker told judge Gary Long.

Mr Long said the offences were aggravated as they were committed while Barker was on parole. 

"There was an obvious disregard to the level of risk presented to other road users in that course of driving," he said.

"It is trite to say it is offending conduct deserving of condign punishment to denounce it and to send a message not just to you but to the community more generally as to the seriousness and unacceptability of it."

Barker was jailed for three years and three months which was the head sentence for dangerously operating a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.

He will be eligible for parole  on June 19, 2021. 

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