Maitland teen Alexander Lyall granted bail: Charged with police pursuit before power pole crash
18-year-old Alexander Lyall has allegedly led police on a dangerous pursuit across suburbs in Rutherford and Maitland before ramming through a fence, into a backyard, and smashing into a power pole.
Newcastle
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A Maitland teenager has allegedly led police on a dangerous pursuit through different suburbs across Rutherford and Maitland before slamming through a fence and crashing into a power pole.
Police allege Alexander Lyall, 18, was driving a hire car on his learners licence when he decided to flee from police just after 1.30am on Tuesday morning.
Port-Stephens Hunter Police were patrolling the Rutherford area when they tried to stop the Hyundai Tucson on the New England Highway.
Instead police allege Mr Lyall accelerated, before they gave chase.
Police allege the pursuit reached various speeds over a number of different suburbs and the vehicle travelled onto the wrong side of the road, at one point putting road workers in danger.
The vehicle then drove through a timber fence at the end of Wallace St, South Maitland and through the backyard of a home on Anzac St, before it smashed into a power pole on Bloomfield St.
Mr Lyall allegedly tried to flee from police before finally being arrested after a struggle.
During the arrest Lyall’s nose was fractured and he was taken to Maitland Hospital for treatment under police guard.
A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered stolen property.
He was charged with police pursuit, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, learner not accompanied by driver/police officer/tester, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, resist officer and breach of bail.
In Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday, Lyall’s solicitor Kath Cooper made an application for bail.
She offered up strict bail conditions including a curfew, daily reporting and possible home detention.
Ms Cooper said Lyall had no driving offences on his criminal record and no traffic infringements.
But the prosecution opposed bail citing he was a danger to the safety of the community.
“It was more good luck than management there wasn’t a serious incident,” he told the court.
“Full time imprisonment is on the cards.”
Magistrate Ron Maiden said without providing any pleas to these matters, Lyall could be in custody for quite some time which could be concerning for a young person.
He granted strict conditional bail which included abstaining from taking drugs, not occupying the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle and home detention, except to go to court or pre-arrangement medical or legal appointments.
On other matters, Lyall is also facing charges of entering a vehicle or boat without consent, larceny, goods in custody suspected of being stolen and entering enclosed lands without lawful excuse.
He’s pleaded guilty to all those charges.
He’ll front Maitland Local Court next month on all the charges before him.