Rohan St Lawrence sentenced after stealing truck, police pursuit in Grafton
A man’s elaborate plan to steal a truck - and a building - led to a two-hour police pursuit. See why Grafton court heard it was an unsophisticated crime.
Police & Courts
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A man who loaded a demountable building onto the back of a truck - and tried to get away with both - sparked a two-hour police chase that went through the middle of Grafton.
Rohan St Lawrence, of Southgate, pleaded guilty in Grafton Local Court on November 8 to one count of larceny, four counts of trespassing, one count of disqualified driving, four counts of destroying property, stealing a car, and initiating a police pursuit.
Court documents reveal how St Lawrence went to extraordinary lengths to steal a Hino truck, using a strap to tie a ute to entry gates at the construction site, before reversing the truck and pulling the gate off its hinges.
St Lawrence broke into Clarence Valley Wreckers about 9.20pm on August 27, and tore CCTV cameras from their control panel.
He then used a crane to lift a demountable building onto the bed of a truck, and took off north on the Pacific Highway towards the centre of Grafton.
After being sighted by police shortly after midnight heading northbound on the Old Grafton Bridge, police attempted to pull him over on Summerland Way in Dilkoon.
Officers initiated a pursuit, trailing the 31-year-old on Summerland Way towards Woodburn.
Reaching speeds of up to 110km/h in a 100 zone, St Lawrence led police for 148 kilometres, crossing over to the wrong side of the road and straddling the centre line on numerous occasions.
He eventually stopped the vehicle at 2.11am and was arrested without incident.
The owner of a commercial fishing business, the court heard St Lawrence has had a long struggle with methamphetamines, dating back 14 years.
“He was using to work, then he was working to use,” his lawyer told the court.
St Lawrence relied on sentencing submissions that emphasised the level of insight and remorse he had for his offending.
St Lawrence’s lawyer conceded the matter was serious – given the 148km chase – but told the court the facts indicated no serious speeding and minimal traffic on the road at the time.
Magistrate Rodney Brender said a degree of planning was involved in the theft of the truck.
“The way he broke in, took the truck and then damaged the cameras – there was clearly some planning,” Mr Brender said.
The magistrate expressed incredulity that St Lawrence thought he could get away with the crime, saying it appeared “bizarre”.
The court heard in St Lawrence’s defence that the heist was unsophisticated in nature.
St Lawrence was driving without a licence – having been disqualified for 20 years in 2008 – and tested positive to methamphetamines, court facts revealed.
The court also heard he had prior convictions relating to manufacturing a shotgun.
Mr Brender said he could give no other sentence other than full time imprisonment, despite recognising a need for rehabilitation.
St Lawrence was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, and will be eligible for parole next August.
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