Sunshine Coast drivers who have pleaded guilty to evading police | list
From a driver who reached speeds of 170km/h while evading police to a motorist who drove at officers, these are nine Sunshine Coast offenders who tried to outrun the law.
Police & Courts
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From a Brisbane man who took police on an amphetamine-fuelled evade through Landsborough to a moped driver who tried to escape officers, these are nine people who tried to outrun Sunshine Coast police.
CONVICTED
Gavin Roy Kilgour
A Tewantin man who nearly ran over a police officer while on a disqualified driver’s licence was jailed for his “despicable” offending.
Gavin Roy Kilgour, 31, was in his vehicle at the United Service Station in Doonan on June 7, 2021 when police approached to chat.
Instead of talking to police, the part time labouring assistant reversed his car towards the officer which forced him to dodge out of the way, Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard.
Police prosecutor Mark Burrell said police witnessed Kilgour drive off at speed and evade police.
The court heard the 31-year-old was disqualified from driving at the time.
Kilgour pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a car, driving without a licence, evasion, unlawful use of a car, possessing a pipe and a knife as well as failing to appear.
He was sentenced to 13 months’ jail, but was given a parole release date of March 23, 2022, with 71 days in pre-sentence custody acknowledged as time served.
Kilgour was then disqualified from driving for two years, with convictions recorded.
Geoffrey David Shorter
A Sunshine Coast concreter told police he rides in that type of manner “all the time” when they confronted him for speeding away from a cop car in excess of 130km/h.
Geoffrey David Shorter, 27, was fined $7187.50 and disqualified from driving for two years in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 21, 2022.
Police prosecutor David Hoffman said police were in an unmarked Subaru on March 9, 2022, when they saw Shorter pull up at the lights on a motorbike before turning onto Maroochydore Rd, driving at 100km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Police activated the car’s lights and sirens and caught up so they were in a position to intercept the motorbike when Shorter accelerated, travelling at over 120km/h.
He continued to speed in excess of 130km/h, with no attempt to stop.
On March 14, 2022, Shorter attended the Sunshine Coast Highway Patrol office and was shown the footage but said he was unaware they were trying to pull him over.
Senior Constable Hoffman said Shorter told police he “rides in that type of manner all the time”.
He pleaded guilty to one count of evasion and a conviction was recorded.
Dylan Mark Cheers
A Currimundi man was found with a loaded sawn-off shotgun in his car after he led police on a high speed pursuit throughout Marcoola, reaching speeds of up to 150km/h.
Dylan Mark Cheers, 24, was given immediate parole and lost his driver’s licence for two and a half years in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on April 5, 2022.
The court heard the labourer reached speeds of 120km/h in an 80km/h zone through Marcoola before heading onto David Low Way in Coolum Beach, crossing double white lines while fleeing police on April 15, 2020.
Cheers came to a sudden halt thanks to tyre spikes and was finally arrested.
Cheers pleaded guilty to eight charges including evading police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected and unlawful possession of a weapon and was sentenced to 18 months’ jail.
Convictions were recorded.
Brandan Shane Shorten
A Manly West man fuelled by amphetamines caused havoc on Sunshine Coast roads after he evaded police.
Brandan Shane Shorten, 27, received jail after pleading guilty to driving dangerously on drugs from Beerwah to Forest Glen on August 28, 2021.
The 27-year-old father had been on amphetamines when he was seen by police driving erratically through Landsborough, Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard.
Police prosecutor Lee Allen told the court Shorten reached speeds of up to 145 km/h along Steve Irwin Way with cars around him having to take evasive action to avoid colliding with his car.
The court heard police had abandoned their pursuit at one point before the incident finally ended in Forest Glen when Shorten fled the car on foot after driving into a dead-end street before he was captured by police.
Shorten pleaded guilty to two counts of evasion, obstructing police, unlawful use of a car, receiving tainted property, possessing drugs and dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.
He was given a head sentence 12 months’ jail but was given a parole release date of June 15, 2022.
Shorten was also disqualified for three years, with convictions recorded.
Matthew William Economidis
A man who evaded police on a stolen moped while reaching speeds of 50km/hr on the backstreets of Caboolture has been sentenced to jail.
Matthew William Economidis, 34, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 1, 2022, to dangerous driving, two counts of evading police, two counts of driving without a licence and possessing drugs and a knife in a public place.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Phillip Stephens said about 11.15am on April 5, 2022, police noticed Economidis driving a stolen moped erratically on Moon St, Caboolture.
Sergeant Stephens said as police pursued Economidis he rode on the wrong side of the road in an effort to escape before falling off the vehicle and restarting it.
Economidis was given a head sentence of 18 months, fined $150 and disqualified from driving for two years.
He will be eligible for parole on August 8, 2022.
Convictions were recorded.
Nigel Dean Seeto
A Cooroy father who reached speeds of up to 140km/h while evading police in the Noosa region told officers he was looking for his son at the time.
Nigel Dean Seeto, 48, copped a fine of $7000 after he pleaded guilty in Noosa Magistrates Court on May 31, 2022 to a range of driving charges including evading police.
The court heard Seeto had been driving along Cooroy Noosa Rd in Lake Macdonald on February 2, 2022 when he was spotted by police.
Police prosecutor Alison Johnstone said about 1.40pm police activated their lights after they saw Seeto driving at 94km/h in an 80km/h zone in the opposite direction.
Sergeant Johnstone said Seeto accelerated heavily, reaching speeds of more than 140km/h after they performed a U-turn, forcing them to stop their intercept due to his dangerous driving.
The 48-year-old pleaded guilty to evading police, driving unlicensed, dangerous operation of a vehicle and failing to give a statutory declaration.
He was fined $7000 and disqualified from driving for two years with convictions recorded.
Brock Lewis
A Mount Mellum man reached speeds of up to 177km/h as police gave chase to him in a rural highway in Central Queensland.
Brock Lewis, 32, had been travelling along the Landsborough Hwy in Tambo on March 27, 2021 when he passed a police car driving in the opposite direction.
Caloundra Magistrates Court heard police performed a U-turn to follow Lewis.
Police prosecutor Stephen Potter said after activating their lights Lewis increased his speed with officers observing the 32-year-old travelling at 177km/h on their speed radar.
Sergeant Potter said police lost sight of the vehicle before finding him between Tambo and Augathella.
Lewis pleaded guilty to disobeying the speed limit and evading police and was fined $7692.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years with convictions recorded.
Dallas Brian John Spillane
A Tewantin man has been disqualified from ever driving a car after he was busted for the 17th time behind the wheel, this time evading police.
Dallas Brian John Spillane, 36, pleaded guilty to an array of driving and drug offences he had racked up over a two-month period between 2021-2022.
Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard the former fruit picker was located behind the wheel on January 10, 2022 along George St in Tewantin.
Police prosecutor Lee Allen said the 35-year-old evaded police and wasn’t arrested until January 27, 2022 when he was found with a small amount of marijuana and a bong in Tewantin.
The court was told both times Spillane had been disqualified absolutely from driving and had been in custody since his arrest.
Senior Constable Allen said the former fruit picker had been convicted of disqualified driving 17 times, driving unlicensed eight times and dangerous driving five times.
Spillane pleaded guilty to two counts of driving disqualified and one of evasion, possessing utensils, drugs and using a number plate attached granted for another vehicle and was sentenced to 18 months’ jail.
His parole eligibility date was set for September 7, 2022, with convictions recorded.
The 35-year-old was also disqualified from driving absolutely once again.
Teofil Pop
A Sunshine Coast dad was jailed after a string of crimes ranging from attempted theft of a Macca’s charity tin to a wild police chase.
Teofil Pop was sentenced to one year in prison in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 30, 2021 after he pleaded guilty to nine charges including unlawfully using a car, evading police and three counts of stealing.
Police prosecutor David Hoffman said Pop drove on the wrong side of the road and sped through a red light to get away from police on November 30, 2020 in Brisbane.
Constable Hoffman said police were forced to stop their pursuit of the man, but later found him on December 9, 2020 at the Springwood Hotel.
Magistrate Kenneth Taylor gave Pop a parole release date of April 9, 2022.
Convictions were recorded.
John Eric Lamport
A Nambour businessman’s short-lived attempt to escape police before he crashed through a fence cost him more than $9000.
John Eric Lamport was fined $9392.52 in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on January 13, 2022 after pleaded guilty to evading police on Fourth Ave, Coolum on August 15, 2021.
The court heard Lamport woke up in hospital after he took police on a short 600m chase.
“Police tried to pull you over and you have accelerated away to get away from them,” Magistrate Catherine Benson said.
“You have taken a corner at speed, missed the corner and crashed.”
Senior Constable Hoffman said Lamport put police, the community and himself in danger by initiating a police chase.
Ms Benson noted his display of genuine remorse and fined Lamport a total of $9392.52.
He was disqualified from driving for two years and three months.
He was also committed to the Supreme Court to have his breach of suspended sentence considered.
Convictions were recorded.
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