Jason Jameson sentenced over Central Coast police pursuit
A man who led police on a brazen high speed pursuit through suburban streets before crashing and fleeing on foot, begged a witness to let him go because he feared he was going back to jail.
Central Coast
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A man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to failing to stop during a police pursuit, possessing a prohibited weapon and his tenth offence of driving while disqualified.
Jason Christopher Jameson appeared via video link at Wyong Local Court on Monday where his Legal Aid solicitor said he should have pleaded guilty straight away but initially pleaded not guilty to try and get bail to see his wife and children.
A set of agreed police facts, tendered to court, state at 11.23am on February 18, police were travelling behind a black Holden Astra on Natuna Ave, at Budgewoi, when they attempted to pull the vehicle over for a random breath test.
When the car failed to stop and turned left into Noella Place police activated their lights and sirens and initiated a pursuit.
“Police pursued the accused around the surrounding suburban streets, maintaining sight of the accused at all times,” the facts read.
“The accused reached speeds of approximately 80 to 100km/h within 50 to 60km/h zone areas.”
Police briefly lost sight of him as he turned down various streets but as officers turned onto back on Natuna Ave a number of witnesses “were pointing in an easterly direction”
“Shortly after the accused has attempted to turn right from Natuna Ave into Kalani Ave, Budgewoi, and has driven off the road onto the nature strip, crashing head on into an electrical box,” the facts read.
A number of witnesses came out onto the street and “saw the accused absconding from the vehicle” carrying a black satchel bag.
“Witnesses have pursued the accused as he turned left from Kalani Ave into Elua Ave,” the facts read.
“The accused was stopped by witnesses. The accused stated words to the effect of “Man I’ve got kids. I’ll go to jail. Let me go, I don’t have a licence.”
He managed to run off and threw his bag away but was arrested a short time later and taken to Wyong Police Station.
Meanwhile one witness retrieved the bag and handed it to police.
“Contents included a black and yellow handled screwdriver, an open packet of cigarettes and a black metal replica firearm and an assortment of rusted tools,” the facts state.
“The firearm is described as a black, Elite Force HK Heckler & Koch USP .177 calibre BB gun air pistol. This pistol is powered by CO2 gas to shoot BB pellets and is an exact replica of a Heckler & Koch USP firearm with a functioning slide and magazine.”
The 40-year-old. of Buff Point, was formally interviewed and denied he was the driver.
“During the pursuit, there were a number of give way and stop signs in which the accused disobeyed,” the facts read.
“The accused’s manner of driving and speed were a high potential for danger to other road users and the general public.”
His solicitor told the court Jameson was “battling his own drug issues” with methylamphetamine and his wife had cancer.
His solicitor said the couple were being threatened “by other members of the community” at the time and those threats had followed him into remand where he had spent most of his time in “protective custody”.
Magistrate Caleb Franklin convicted Jameson and sentenced him to 16 months jail with a non-parole period of eight months.
The court heard it was his tenth conviction for driving while disqualified, and he was disqualified for a further three years.
With time already served since his arrest he will be eligible for parole next month.