Lemonde Sabanga in Taree court after highway police chase through Coffs Harbour
A man who led police on three consecutive chases on the NSW North Coast, running red lights and crossing to the wrong side of the highway, has been sentenced.
Mid-North Coast
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A police chase triggered north of Grafton, which had to be abandoned several times due to extreme risk to the public, was finally brought to an end with the use of road spikes south of Taree on the Mid-North Coast.
Lemonde Sabanga appeared in Taree Local Court on Monday facing a long list of charges including police pursuit not stopping/driving dangerously, drive a conveyance without the consent of the owner, using a motor vehicle with misleading number plates, learner not displaying plates, exceeding the speed limit and not being accompanied by a driver.
The 21-year-old Victorian first came to police attention in the Maclean area about 11am on Saturday December 3.
At one point he overtook three cars on the inside to avoid police who soon abandoned the chase due to safety concerns.
Then at around noon, the chase was triggered again after a triple-0 call from a member of the public at Emerald Beach near Coffs Harbour informing police that the Ford Kluger was driving erratically at high speed on the highway.
According to police facts tendered to court Sabanga drove into the Coffs Harbour CBD, swerving through Moonee and West High streets, running red lights, mounting the median strip and crashing into another car.
Sabanga travelled south but then conducted a U-turn going the wrong way back through a roundabout and came back to the CBD before turning once again to head in a southerly direction.
Once again the chase was abandoned due to safety concerns but recommenced in the Coopernook area where he was observed to be travelling between 185 and 195km per hour in a 100km zone.
Then, according to police facts, he crossed to the wrong side of the highway and continued south on the wrong side of the road until police were forced to use a tyre deflation device near Failford Rd at Nabiac.
Not to be deterred Sabanga, continued to speed south for about 35km while the front passenger tyre was deflating and then on the wheel rim stopping a short distance from the Wootton Way intersection.
According to police facts, when he was arrested he commended officers for capturing him stating he has never been caught before and had been involved in numerous pursuits.
He returned a negative blood alcohol test but methamphetamine was detected in his system and he admitted to smoking the drug 18 hours prior.
When he appeared before Magistrate Allison Hawkins via audio visual link he insisted on representing himself saying repeatedly “can you sentence me today please your honour?”
He pleaded guilty to all charges and was given an aggregate jail sentence of 18 months with a non-parole period of five months.
Sabanga will be eligible for parole on May 2, 2023.
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