Phoenix Hancock-Malcolm loses license for three years

A red P-plater who led police on a 200km/h pursuit along a rural road and through a local town centre has amazingly blamed officers for his speed.

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A red P-plater who led police on a 200km/h pursuit along a rural road and through a local town centre has blamed officers for his excessive speed.

Phoenix Hancock-Malcolm, 22, was detected travelling 20km/h over the speed limit on Remembrance Drive in Bargo in May last year.

After police attempted to pull him over, he speeded up to 200km/h in an 80km/h zone.

Hancock-Malcolm then dashed through Tahmoor town centre, travelling between 160 and 180km/h and forcing police to terminate the pursuit.

Phoenix Hancock-Malcolm in 2014.

The Holden Commodore ute he was driving was later left on the front lawn of a Tahmoor property and was tracked to Hancock-Malcolm’s father, who told police his son had likely been driving.

The former Hill Top resident was yesterday stripped of his licence for three years, given 250 hours of community service and sentenced to a 14-month intensive corrections order by Magistrate Ian Cheetham at Picton Local Court.

According to a sentencing report presented to the court, Hancock-Malcolm initially blamed the police initiating the pursuit for his excessive speed.

Mr Cheetham scolded Hancock-Malcolm and told him “don’t smile at me” after the young man smiled at the judge following his sentencing.

Mr Cheetham said the “only thing saving you from full-time custody” was Hancock-Malcolm’s age and the lack of other vehicles on the road at the time of the pursuit.