Abed Beydoun drove 50km/h over speed limit before pursuit in Blakehurst

An Audi driver was found to have travelled 50km above the speed limit before he led police on a pursuit. Watch the in-car footage of police chasing him.

A man has been found guilty of hooning along a highway at 50km above the speed limit before leading police on a pursuit.

Abed Alkarim Beydoun, 22, claimed his car was stolen and he had an alibi but police officers allege they saw him in the driver’s seat.

The Riverwood man pleaded not guilty to police pursuit, driving recklessly or furiously in a speed or manner dangerous and exceeding the speed limit by 45km/h and defended the allegations during a Sutherland Local Court hearing last month.

On Friday Magistrate Hugh Donnelly found Beydoun guilty of the charges, noting police had proved the offences beyond reasonable doubt.

He rejected Beydoun’s claim that he was not driving and his car was stolen.

Abed Beydoun outside court. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

The court heard two police officers were conducting speed enforcement checks on the Princes Hwy at Blakehurst about 2.50am when they clocked a white Audi A6 driver allegedly travelling 120km/h in a 70km/h zone.

Senior Constable Alex Keen gave evidence and told the court he gave chase, travelled over Tom Ugly’s Bridge reaching speeds of 153km/h to gain distance on the car.

Senior Constable Keen said once he caught up to the Audi, his colleague put the car’s registration plate into their police system and also brought up the licence details of the car’s registered owner, P-plater Abed Alkarim Beydoun.

He said he told the driver “next left”.

Senior Constable Keen told the court he was within 3m of the driver, and the passenger side window of his car was down and the Audi’s driver’s side window down.

Senior Constable Keen said he was “completely sure” and “positive” of the identity of the driver after comparing the man he saw and the photo of the licence which was displayed on the in-car computer screen.

The court heard the cars were pulled alongside each other for about four seconds with the car well lit due to bright street lights.

Beydoun sped off after he turned the street and the officers pursued the car for a short time before it was terminated for safety reasons and the car was found a short time later, the court heard.

Beydoun was found guilty of the offences.

Beydoun was ordered to give a statement about who was driving the car, where he claimed his Audi was stolen for which he made a report.

The court also heard Beydoun claimed to have an alibi and told officers he was at a party with his girlfriend.

When asked why he did not follow up the alibi, Senior Constable Keen said “I positively identified him … I wasn’t going to investigate further, I knew he was driving”.

The court also heard a forensic analysis of the Audi only revealed Beydoun’s fingerprints.

During closing submissions police prosecutor Sergeant James Glissan said there was two possibilities for the lack of other DNA which was Beydoun was the driver or a “very competent thief” was able to evade officers and get away before police found the car and removed fingerprints and DNA, describing that possibility as “fanciful”.

Sgt Glissan also said the alibi evidence from Beydoun’s girlfriend was not credible because “she was wasted” and could not provide a specific date for the party. Beydoun’s girlfriend is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Defence barrister Gabriel Wendler submitted the police officers only had “one or two seconds” to compare the driver’s licence photo with the driver.

He also claimed the forensic evidence was “not of high value” because a person who stole the car could have been wearing gloves.

Mr Donnelly will sentence Beydoun on November 21.