Bradley John Campbell pleads guilty at Tweed Heads court to resisting police, driving unaccompanied

A man sought by the law on outstanding warrants ran out of petrol and luck on the Pacific Highway near Chinderah. Read how the situation escalated when officers told him they were going to make further inquiries.

Bradley Campbell. Photograph: File

A man sought by the law on outstanding warrants ran out of petrol and luck on the Pacific Highway near Chinderah.

Bradley John Campbell, of Tweed Heads South, pleaded guilty at Tweed Heads Local Court on Friday, October 14, to resisting a police officer in the execution of duty and for driving without being accompanied by someone with a full licence while on his L plates.

Police documents state the 30-year-old labourer was at the wheel of a Honda Accord sedan when he ran out of fuel and had to pull onto the side of the road at about 6.30am on April 15.

Campbell then walked to the Shell Service Centre on Chinderah Bay Drive “to collect fuel which was donated to him by a customer at the fuel station”, police facts state.

Chinderah Bay petrol station.

Officers came across the car in a “hazardous location” on the road and saw Campbell approach with a jerry can.

But police noticed he couldn’t fill the car with fuel as the jerry can had the incorrect fitting for the vehicle.

According to police facts, officers recognised Campbell as someone who was known to them, but did not know his name, so asked him to provide identification.

Campbell provided his learner’s licence and told police he had a provisional licence but he hadn’t physically received it.

Chinderah Bay petrol station.

According to police facts, Campbell said he was under the licence supervision of his brother Kristen Campbell and when the car ran out of fuel, his brother had walked to his mother’s house.

Campbell told police he had just removed the L-plates from the vehicle and placed them in the glove compartment.

Officers estimated the mother’s house was only some 30 metres from the car, and said they would make further inquiries - telling Campbell he was not free to leave the location.

But Campbell began to back away from the officers, placing the jerry can on the ground, then breaking into a run, according to police facts.

Officers caught him, and a struggle ensued, with police delivering “distractionary strikes” to his thigh and shoulder blade, police facts state.

Chinderah Bay petrol station.

Campbell was then handcuffed.

Officers noted Campbell was sweating profusely, and had told them “I’m wigged out”, police facts state.

Officers took him to Tweed Heads South Station where despite drinking more than four litres of water over a two-hour period he was unable to provide a urine sample.

Meanwhile, a check of the Honda’s glove box failed to find any L-plates.

Officers also spoke with Campbell’s brother Kristian Campbell who told them he had been at home all morning, police facts state.

The court heard Campbell had a criminal history which included unlicensed/disqualified offences, robbery, stolen vehicle-related offences, break and enter offences, and assaulting and resisting police.

Campbell’s defence lawyer said his client “has a real fear of police”.

“He is trying to turn his life around,” the lawyer added.

Magistrate Jeff Linden adjourned the case to November 18.