Starkey St, Forestville: Mt Druitt driver Rodney Byrnes charged over high speed police chase

A female magistrate was grossly insulted with a vile slur by a western Sydney car detailer when she refused his bail over a high speed police chase on Sydney’s northern beaches. Here’s what he said.

A man charged over a police chase on the northern beaches, branded a female magistrate a “slut” when she refused his application to be released on bail in Manly Local Court on Thursday. File picture: Istock

A car detailer called a female Sydney magistrate a “slut” after she refused to give him bail over his alleged involvement in a high-speed police chase on the northern beaches.

An angry Rodney Melrose Byrnes, 44, also shouted at Magistrate Margaret McGlynn that “your mother’s a slut too” as he beamed into Manly Local Court via audiovisual link from the neighbouring police station.

The 44-year-old man from Dharruk in Sydney’s west yelled “f—k the courts” and commented that “your system sucks d—k” seconds after his bail bid was rejected.

The car detailer, who works at a Brookvale business, was arrested on Wednesday night after allegedly refusing to stop for police who had tried to pull over a Ford sedan conveying at least two men near Warringah Rd at Starkey St in Forestville.

A reserve ( far right) at the end of Starkey St, Killarney Heights, where the car allegedly driven by Rodney Byrnes, was located by police. Picture: Google Maps

It was alleged in court that Byrnes was a disqualified driver.

In a statement outside court, Northern Beaches police stated that when the car allegedly failed to stop as directed at Forestville, officers began a pursuit which was swiftly terminated due to safety concerns.

A short time later, police located the car in a reserve at the southern end of Starkey St at Killarney Heights where it had struck some bushes and a small tree.

Byrnes and another man were arrested a short time later and police will allege Byrnes was driving the Ford when it refused to stop.

He was charged with one count each of police pursuit at speed, driving disqualified, negligent driving and not stopping at a red light.

Byrnes pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Rodney Byrnes will be back in Manly Local Court in December. (AAP IMAGE / MONIQUE HARMER)

His Legal Aid solicitor told the court there was an issue as to the identity of the car’s driver.

“Mr Byrnes nominates another person as the driver,” the solicitor said.

“He’s adamant he’s not the driver.”

The police prosecutor, who opposed bail, said there were concerns for community safety and the possibility that Byrnes, who he said had a “significant criminal history for similar and other offences” might commit further offences.

Ms McGlynn told Byrnes there was an allegation he was driving at high speed in a residential area and pointed out he had “so many” disqualified driving convictions on his record.

“You’ve been identified, by your passenger, as the driver,” Ms McGlynn told him in court.

Byrnes will remain in custody on remand until his matter returns to Manly Local Court for mention on December 7.