Russell William Gilliis had a history of police chases in stolen cars

The stolen Audi A6 he was driving during the police chase in Oakey was brought to a halt by police tyre spikes but then he fled on foot.

Russell William Gilliis pleaded guilty before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on November 19, 2021, to eight offences including leading police on a chase through Oakey in a stolen Audi A6.

An Oakey man who led police on a chase through the town in a stolen Audi A6 which was brought to a halt by police tyre spikes has been jailed.

Russell William Gilliis had a history of such offending and a penchant for drawing police into pursuits, Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

“He likes to get into chases with police in stolen cars,” police prosecutor Chris Willson told the court on Friday.

Police spotted the 26-year-old in the Audi A6 on Bridge St, Oakey, on August 11 and directed him to pull over by activating the police car’s lights and siren, Senior Constable Willson said.

However, Gilliis had driven on at speed, twice crossing the double white lines on Bridge St.

The car was eventually tracked to 4AK Road on the town’s outskirts where police tyre spikes were deployed and brought the car to a halt.

Gilliis then fled on foot through a number of farm paddocks but was eventually nabbed by the police dog squad after a foot chase, the court heard.

Gilliis had spent the ensuing 99 days in custody and appeared via video link from the Brisbane Men’s Prison to plead guilty to a total eight offences including evading police, dangerous driving and unlawfully using a vehicle arising from that incident as well as to evading police in a Nissan Pulsar in Toowoomba on July 23.

Sen. Const. Willson said Gilliis had two previous dangerous driving offences and a history of evading police in stolen cars as well as seven unlawful use of motor vehicle convictions and seven disqualified driving offences in the past five years.

Gilliis’s solicitor Claire Graham, of Skuse Graham Lawyers, told the court it was accepted her client had “a lengthy and relevant history” but he was now motivated to turn his life around.

Ms Graham said while in custody, Gilliis became a father and he had not yet seen his six-week old daughter.

He had the offer of fencing work upon his release from custody and he was determined to be “a good father”, Ms Graham submitted.

Magistrate Graham Lee sentenced Gilliis to 20 months in jail but, declaring the 99 days as time already served under the sentence, ordered the term be suspended after he has served six months with the balance to hang over his head for two years during which time he was not to commit further offences or risk being returned to jail.

Originally published as Russell William Gilliis had a history of police chases in stolen cars