Jack Courtney charged over alleged Central Coast police pursuit
Police have charged an Illawarra man with the alleged theft of a vehicle from Lake Haven, and subsequent pursuit through the Central Coast suburbs of Erina and Springfield, during which a police car was rammed three times.
Illawarra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illawarra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Police question why lion attack victim was alone
- New look Wollongong pub opens its doors after renovations
A man charged with ramming a police car several times despite being disqualified from driving for the next 19 years, has been granted bail to attend a drug rehab program.
Barrack Heights man Jack Courtney was arrested at his home on Saturday, after police allege he smashed a stolen car into a police vehicle three times in the space of just a few minutes while on the Central Coast last month.
The 28-year-old was charged with six offences, including take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, not obey direction of police/authorised person, use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, negligent driving and not give particulars to other driver, to which he pleaded not guilty at Wollongong Local Court on Monday.
During his appearance, Magistrate Claire Girotto agreed to grant Courtney bail, despite the court hearing it’s a strong police case, after he admitted he had a “big problem” with drugs and that he “needed help”.
In a set of documents tendered to the court, police allege Courtney is a known bikie associate with “minimal regard for the law”.
Last December, police allege a Nissan Elgrand was stolen from a Lake Haven shopping centre on the Central Coast by an “unknown person”, before plates were stolen from a car parked at a home in Berkeley last month.
On May 24, Brisbane Water police were patrolling in the Erina area when it is alleged they saw a Nissan Elgrand driving “erratically and at speed”.
In the documents, police claim they activated all warning signs to try and stop the vehicle, however it accelerated and sped off.
Police claim they loosely followed the vehicle for some time before they reactivated their warning lights and sirens.
Police alleged the driver put the car in reverse before “intentionally ramming” the cop car, leaving the bonnet “crumpled”. The driver then drove the vehicle forward before police allege it “stopped abruptly” and again rammed the cop car while in reverse.
Police allege the driver then sped off before it performed a U-turn and drove directly at police. Fearing a head on collision, police say they were forced to immediately reverse before the car hit the front of the vehicle leaving police immobilised.
The police in the car called for back-up however the Nissan driver took off. The Nissan involved in the smash was found nearby a short time later and a perimeter was established. With assistance from the Dog Unit and PolAir, a search commenced, however, the driver could not be located.
The Nissan was forensically tested, and DNA was taken from the steering wheel and gear stick. An iPhone was also found in the car which police allege had a message that read “hello Jack, confirming your dental appointment on May 26”.
Police confirmed in the documents that the dentist who sent the message was located in the Lake Illawarra area. Further checks allegedly revealed several photos of the accused, and that the phone was registered to Courtney’s father.
Following the police investigation, Courtney was arrested at his home on Saturday. During his appearance in court on Monday, the prosecution told Magistrate Girotto police feared that if granted bail he would leave the area with the help of his alleged bikie mates.
Magistrate Girotto only granted bail on the condition that Courtney attend a rehab centre on the central coast, and imposed strict non-association orders on him and any members of a bikie gang.
“Drugs clearly look to be a big issue for this man,” she said. “If his drug addiction can be fixed I think a lot of other things will follow.”
The matter will return to court next month.