Eric Edwards: Dubbo man involved in high-speed police pursuit handed 10-month prison sentence for multiple matters

A Dubbo man who was a passenger in a stolen car which was later involved in a high-speed police pursuit has fronted Dubbo Local Court.

A Dubbo man who was a passenger in a stolen car which was later involved in a high-speed police pursuit has fronted Dubbo Local Court.

Eric Edwards, 25, appeared in court from custody via audio visual link after he was arrested on April 24 this year, pleading guilty to two charges which included dishonestly obtaining financial advantage through deception and knowingly being carried in a stolen vehicle.

According to documents tendered in Dubbo Local Court, on April 24, Edwards was a passenger in a stolen Kia Rio which drove into the BP Service Station on the Mitchell Highway in Narromine at about 8:15am.

Edwards got out of the vehicle to put unleaded petrol in the car, totalling $10.10.

A co-accused entered the petrol station and after continuous requests for payment from a worker, he returned to the vehicle and drove away.

At around 8:45am, police were patrolling Narromine following reports that a co-accused was driving the stolen Kia Rio without number plates.

“Police were aware that this vehicle had been stolen the day prior by (a co-accused),” police facts state.

“At 9:04am police observed this vehicle driving from Minore Road across Dandaloo Street and into Coochin Lane.”

After following the vehicle, police attempted to stop the vehicle, with the co-accused speeding away in an effort to evade police.

A police pursuit began with the co-accused driving the vehicle “well in excess” of the speed limit, crossing into the oncoming lane and turning into other streets.

Police continued the pursuit going through dirt roads with the stolen vehicle reaching speeds of at least 120 kilometres per hour in an 80 kilometre speed zone.

Due to the speed of the vehicle, police aborted the pursuit after following onto a dirt lane with “large plumes of billowing dust” disrupting the officers’ vision.

The stolen vehicle was located later in the day, with police supplied information to Edwards and two co-accused’s running into a house on Cathundril Street in Narromine.

Officers attended the address and spoke to the three men. They were then arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station.

Edwards and another co-accused were interviewed in relation to the matter with both men stating that they were the passengers.

“Edwards stated that after police had ceased pursuing the vehicle, he was giving directions to (the driver), advising him where to (go) and where to hide the stolen vehicle,” police facts state.

At the time of Edwards’ arrest, he was wanted in relation to separate matters which were brought before the court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to contravening an apprehended domestic violence order (AVO) on March 9 this year after police imposed a provisional apprehended violence order on Edwards for an assault on his mother – the victim on January 23, 2022.

During an argument with his girlfriend at the time, Edwards grabbed her and attempted to drag her into a room.

The victim heard the commotion and wanted to check on the welfare of the girlfriend, and with a small stick she hit Edwards.

He then turned around and pushed the victim, causing her to fall backwards before “punching into her like a man”, police facts reveal.

Edwards later told police that he pushed the victim after he was arrested and conveyed to Narromine Police Station.

With the matter in January listed for hearing on March 10, the day prior, Edwards told the victim not to go to court, saying he “won’t get charged” if she doesn’t turn up, according to police facts.

The victim told police that Edwards spoke with his solicitor on the phone and he later told her that “if you don’t turn up mum, my solicitor said I won’t get charged”.

Police facts state that Edwards was in breach of his AVO for speaking with the victim and being within 50 metres of her residence.

He was also accused by police for acting with intent of influencing a prosecution witness as she was due to attend Narromine Local Court.

The following day on March 10, Edwards was charged with failing to appear in court without a reasonable excuse, which he pleaded guilty to on Wednesday.

The court heard from Edwards’ defence lawyer, Bill Dickens that “some” of these matters don’t cross the section five threshold – where the court must be satisfied that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate.

Mr Dickens told the court that his client has been in custody since being arrested on April 24 and that it would be in the interest of the court that Edwards be released on August 25 – when he was available for parole – in a supervised role.

While Magistrate Stephen Olischlager accepted Mr Dickens’ submissions saying some matters “may not be out of the low end of objective seriousness”, he highlighted Edwards’ attempt to talk his mother out of attending court which he described as thwarting justice.

“I do consider any attempt to try and talk a witness out of going to court (as) a serious matter,” Magistrate Olischlager said.

The incident involving the stolen car and petrol, Magistrate Olischlager accepted that there was nothing remarkable about those circumstances, categorising them in the low end.

“In terms of the subjective circumstances … I do look at your record, it is not one that would get leniency (and) as a consequence of these matters (your) parole has been revoked,” Magistrate Olischlager said.

In sentencing Edwards, Magistrate Olischlager believed that no other penalty other than imprisonment was necessary due to some matters crossing the section five threshold.

Edwards was handed a 10-month aggregate sentence for the three separate matters with the imprisonment expiring on February 23, 2023.

Magistrate Olischlager ordered a non-parole period of six months to expire on October 24, 2022.