Dubbo police pursuits: Worst offenders named and shamed
Desperate drivers determined to avoid police have rammed police cars, stolen, crashed and burned in court. These are some of the worst offenders in western NSW.
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The prevalence of dangerous and potentially deadly police pursuits in Dubbo and some neighbouring communities across western NSW recently prompted local police to issue a warning to would-be offenders, not to risk their lives and those of others.
Despite the warnings, tough talk and general tendency most people have to pull over at the request of police, many simply continue to ignore authority and end up before the courts.
Fortunately for the offenders named and shamed in this story, no one died as a result of their decisions to flout the law.
For some, there were serious injuries and for others jail time. These are some of the worst police pursuit offenders in Dubbo and western NSW.
TIMOTHY STEWART
After robbing a defenceless 74-year-old woman, Dubbo man Timothy Stewart took off in her Nissan Pulsar and led police on a dangerous high-speed pursuit across the city on January 21, 2020.
Dubbo Local Court heard Stewart was doing 80km/h in 50km/h zones as he sped around and drove through a busy intersection on the wrong side of the road.
Police had to terminate the pursuit because it was so dangerous and Stewart drove to Geurie, where he got rid of the woman’s car and stole a man’s Toyota HiLux.
Stewart returned to Dubbo and triggered another police pursuit where he did 100km/h in a 50km/h zone.
Police terminated the second pursuit, again for safety reasons.
He was caught two days later loitering around Dubbo’s main street.
Stewart pleaded guilty to a string of charges in court, including two counts of failing to stop during a police pursuit.
He was convicted, jailed for six years and set to become eligible for parole in July 2023.
LEE JENKINS
After a four-hour drinking session with friends, Trangie drunk Lee Jenkins got behind the wheel of a Holden Commodore in Narromine on November 30, 2020.
According to documents tendered in Dubbo Local Court, Jenkins came to the attention of police when he drove over a median strip on Manildra St and refused to stop when police turned their warning lights on.
After reaching 150km/h in a 110km/h zone on the Mitchell Highway, police lost sight of Jenkins but court documents stated he reached up to 213km/h, lost control of the Holden and ended up on the wrong side of the road.
Jenkins crashed into a tree and fences near a vacant paddock. He was found unconscious next to the car and flown by helicopter to Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital for treatment.
In court Jenkins pleaded guilty to causing a police pursuit and high-range drink driving after a breath test revealed he was more than five times the legal limit.
Magistrate Theresa Hamilton convicted him and imposed a 10-month jail term, with a three-month non parole period.
JACKSON BAILEY
P-plate driver Jackson Bailey was noticed by police speeding around the streets of Dubbo on September 11 this year.
When officers tried to get him to pull over, the Dubbo teen reached up to 150km/h in a 60km/h zone and the Ford Falcon he was driving began to “fish tail”, according to court documents.
Bailey made his way on to the Mitchell Highway and drove towards Narromine, reaching 170km/h in a 110km/h zone and crossing onto the wrong side of the road.
Police had to terminate the dispute and officers went to his house in Dubbo where they discovered he was on the phone to his mother.
When it suited him, Bailey drove back to Dubbo where police met him.
A breath test revealed a reading of 0.027, which far exceeded the legal limit of zero required for P-plate drivers.
Bailey pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving during a police pursuit.
He was convicted and sentenced to a 21-month community-based prison term.
KODY BELL
In the early hours of October 10, 2020, police spotted Dubbo man Kody Bell driving a Ford Falcon at up to 160km/h in a 60km/h zone on Minore Road.
After officers tried to get him to stop, Bell fled and the vehicle was found a short time later on its roof, with a large amount of car parts and debris scattered across the road.
According to court documents, Bell was nowhere to be seen and the Rural Fire Service and Volunteer Rescue Association had to be called in to help find him.
The morning after the crash and frantic search effort, Bell was found at a home in North St.
He told police was hiding in bushes when authorities, who feared the worst, were desperately trying to find him.
“You know what, f*** it mate, what happened was, I was creeping around Delroy right, because I wanted a sneaky sesh,” Bell said.
In court documents, police said Bell’s actions “led to a recovery operation that would … cost the Australian taxpayer tens of thousands of dollars”.
After pleading guilty he was convicted of failing to stop when pursued by police and sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
Bell was set to become eligible for parole in October 2021.
TIMOTHY POWELL
When police spotted Dubbo man Timothy Powell leaving a “well known drug location” in Brocklehurst on January 31, 2021, he failed to stop a nearby intersection and according to court documents, sped away from officers.
Despite sirens blaring and lights flashing on a cop car, Powell reached up to 140km/h in a 50km/h zone as he tried to get away.
After he found time to drop off a passenger on Myall St in Dubbo, Powell crashed into the back of an empty house on Callistemon Crescent.
Desperate, deluded and determined to evade police, Powell fled the scene on foot before he stopped to hide under a bush at the back of a home on Longabardi St.
Powell pleaded guilty to triggering a police pursuit, was convicted and sentenced to 22 months in jail.
He is set to become eligible for parole in April 2022.
THOMAS NOLAN
After Dubbo man Thomas Nolan was seen driving erratically on Thompson St in May 2020, officers directed him to pull over for a breath test.
According to court documents, he chose to instead reach speeds of up to 80km/h in a 50km/h zone.
Drivers at a roundabout on Erskine St and Wheelers Lane had to take evasive action after Nolan crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
When the car he was driving broke down on Braun Ave, officers moved in but Nolan managed to restart the car before ramming the rear of the police vehicle.
He was caught after losing control of the car on Lunar Ave and running into a nearby backyard.
After pleading guilty Nolan was convicted of triggering a police pursuit and sentenced to 12 months in jail.
He was due to become eligible for parole in August 2021.
LINDSAY BENNETT
Coonamble man Lindsay Bennett told his actions were an example of “stupidity” when he repeatedly fled police on December 21, 2020.
According to court documents, Bennett was first spotted by police when he was driving around with a dog hanging off the back of his ute.
Instead of pulling over for police, he led officers on a 23 kilometre pursuit which ended on a dirt road after his ute started sliding across the road in rain.
During the pursuit, which had to be terminated for safety reasons, police said Bennett reached speeds of up to 120km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Less than six hours later, Bennett was spotted again and he again led police on a pursuit for 15km.
The ute became stuck and police caught up with Bennett who was charged with two counts of failing to stop for police during a pursuit.
After a short stint behind bars, he was convicted and released after being sentenced to a 10-month intensive corrections order.
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