Reece Harold Gomes pleads guilty after leading police on dangerous chase through Byron Bay CBD

A disqualified Northern Rivers driver with a lengthy criminal history led police on a wild chase through Byron Bay’s busy CBD, mounting kerbs and driving on footpaths. Here’s what happened.

Reece Gomes was involved in a wild police chase through Byron Bay’s CBD.

A disqualified Northern Rivers driver with a lengthy criminal history led police on a wild chase through Byron Bay’s busy CBD, mounting kerbs and driving on footpaths.

Byron Bay Local Court heard Reece Harold Gomes had “no regard for public safety” while trying to escape police about 9.30am on October 30 last year.

The court also heard the 28-year-old Goonellabah man who endured a traumatic childhood has essentially become institutionalised.

“The fact you feel safer in jail is of great tragedy,” Magistrate Karen Stafford told him.

Gomes put the public in danger to dodge arrest, the court heard.

Gomes pleaded guilty over audio visual link to police pursuit, not following a police direction and driving while disqualified.

Police were patrolling when they spotted Gomes behind the wheel of a Holden Rodeo ute on Lawson St and knew he was disqualified.

Officers followed the ute and switched on lights and sirens to get the ute to pull over near the intersection of Jonson and Marvell St, police state in court documents.

The car pulled over, but Gomes sped off as officers approached to talk to him.

The cul-de-sac on Carlyle St, Byron Bay.

Officers followed the ute down Johnson St and left onto Carlyle St.

“He reached the cul-de-sac and drove onto the gutter and through a nature strip crossing a busy footpath before proceeding onto Tennyson St and then onto Bangalow Rd,” the documents state.

“The car was travelling in excess of the 50kmh speed limit and travelling close to pedestrians, other cars and cyclists.”

After overtaking about five cars in the town, Gomes pulled into the driveway of luxury resort Crystalbrook Byron.

The outside of luxury Byron Bay resort Crystalbrook Byron.

“Police stopped behind the car and saw Gomes exit the driver’s seat and run into nearby bushland,” the documents state.

A woman stayed in the passenger seat and police arrested her for unrelated matters.

Police briefly tried to chase Gomes down on foot, but he escaped arrest at that time.

Eventually though, he was found, charged and brought before the court.

Police state: “Gomes drove a car within a major CBD around other members of the community in a manner dangerous to the public.”

“He showed no regard for public safety while attempting to avoid apprehension,” the documents read.

Byron Bay Court House. Picture: Savannah Pocock

Defence lawyer Daniel Benjamin John Haig said Gomes had an extensive criminal record that did not assist him in sentencing, but his client pleaded guilty and a hearing was not needed.

“He experienced childhood trauma and began sleeping rough when he was 14 years old to escape foster care,” he told the court.

“He has previously spent four years in custody and said he feels safer in prison.”

Magistrate Karen Stafford said Gomes’s offending occurred during a busy time on a Sunday morning, putting many lives – including his own – at risk.

She did take into account his rough upbringing.

“You suffered childhood trauma and deprivation for many years and the court recognises these types of difficult backgrounds and upbringings can lead people to engage in very risky behaviour without thinking twice about it,” she said.

Gomes was jailed – and his lawyer said he “feels safer in jail” after a tough upbringing.

“The fact you feel safer in jail is of great tragedy, as there are special vulnerabilities of you spending time in jail.”

Ms Stafford sentenced Gomes to two years jail with a 12-month non-parole period, backdated from June 30 due to time served.