Gold Coast man Joel Edward Milton pleads guilty in Ballina court after wild northern NSW police chase

A Gold Coast man who drove into a canefield after dodging an RBT and sparking a police pursuit in northern NSW left his “pig dog” abandoned, a court has heard.

Joel Edward Milton, 41, outside Ballina courthouse.

A Gold Coast father who drove into a canefield after dodging an RBT and sparking a police pursuit in northern NSW left his “pig dog” abandoned in the vehicle, a court has heard.

Joel Edward Milton has a criminal history of similar matters in Queensland.

The 41-year-old man faced Ballina Local Court on April 21 pleading guilty to police pursuit, driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, driving while uninsured and speeding.

Milton ignored a police direction to pull over for a random breath test on Beech St at Evans Head, near Ballina, about 5.30pm on September 9 last year, the court heard.

Joel Edward Milton outside the court.

Behind the wheel of a Ford Falcon, Milton turned onto Currajong St and exceeded the speed limit by 75kmh before he turned onto Woodburn-Evans Head Rd

Milton dangerously overtook numerous cars before travelling into a canefield, causing the pursuit to be terminated for a time.

Police began chasing Milton again when they spotted the Ford on Woodburn-Coraki Rd and he failed to pull the vehicle over.

Milton hit 40kmh over the speed limit on Swan Bay-New Italy Rd as he evaded arrest.

“The driver’s actions made other cars pull off the road as he approached,” court documents state.

Milton pleaded guilty to all charges.

The pursuit lasted 19km before Milton hopped out of the car and bolted off through a woodland area on the side of the road, leaving the Ford to crash into a drain.

“Police engaged in a foot pursuit, but lost him in the darkness,” police facts state.

“He had a large brindle pig dog (Bull Arab) in the car, which he abandoned.”

Police tracked Milton down a few weeks later and asked him if he was the driver, which he denied.

He did tell officers he had been living out of the car “whacked out” on drugs.

Milton claimed he gave the car to his dealer for a small amount of drugs, but could not say what he was doing at the time of the pursuit.

He told police the dog found in the car belonged to him.

Milton also stole $138.43 of petrol from a service station.

Ballina Courthouse. Picture: Savannah Pocock.

Defence lawyer Robert Glenday told the court Milton had completed the Queensland Traffic Offenders Program and his drug addiction was under control.

“This is a man that has turned the corner … he is obviously clean and has put maximum effort into rehabilitation,” he said.

“He recognises the seriousness and the dangers and now has an understanding of the standards of driving in the community.”

Mr Glenday said Milton spent three months in residential rehabilitation, was employed and living in Surfers Paradise.

Magistrate Karen Stafford said Milton should be jailed because he was on parole in Queensland for similar crimes at the time of offending.

Ballina Police Station. Picture: Savannah Pocock

“No one was injured – but it wasn’t because you took care on the roads,” she said.

“References that were handed up talked about you going into a drug spiral after a relationship breakdown with your partner … this is a case when a man has hit rock bottom.”

Milton was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order and his licence was disqualified for two years and six months.

He was also fined $5238 and remains on parole in Queensland until 2024.