Joshua Taylor rammed Bendigo police car to protect drug scheme

A Bendigo drug dealer rammed a police car, sped through town at 120km/h in an attempt to protect a methamphetamine network worth $20,000.

Joshua Taylor pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, theft and weapons charges. Picture: Facebook

A Bendigo drug dealer claimed 50g of methamphetamines — 17 times the trafficking threshold — was for personal use after he was tackled to the ground in front of family.

On Wednesday Bendigo Magistrate’s Court heard Joshua Taylor and police were caught in a 15-month game of cat and mouse, involving over $20,000 in cash, three raids, two car crashes and multiple chases through Bendigo.

The 25-year-old father pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including drug trafficking, handling stolen goods, car theft, evading police, bail violations, driving offences, drug possession and weapons charges.

A stolen BMW X5 was spotted at a Bendigo KFC with Taylor at the wheel on August 27, 2019.

That same day police raided Taylor’s mother’s Flora Hill home, where they found the stolen BMW alongside three stolen motorcycles – but Taylor was nowhere to be seen.

A search of his bedroom uncovered a locked safe with $13,750 in cash inside, numerous stolen number plates, methamphetamine, cocaine, GHB, a knife and bullets.

Three days later a patrol car recognised a stolen white Subaru driving in Bendigo and activated its lights and sirens at 1.50am on August 31.

The stolen car tried to evade police by quickly turning off McCrae St smashing into a truck.

Two men were seen fleeing the crash.

Taylor’s fingerprints were found throughout the Subaru, along with his ID, personal documents, $4145 in cash, stolen registration plates, an extendible baton and a butterfly knife.

In November 2019, Taylor was arrested at a Kennington property where police found stolen number plates, a taser, an extendible baton, and 0.5g of methamphetamines and cocaine.

Taylor had $2345 in cash stuffed into his pockets and a bum bag.

Bail was granted with strict curfew conditions to stay at his mother’s Flora Hill home, but Taylor fled.

Police came close to arresting the 25-year-old again, when they were searching a Bendigo home and he arrived in the driveway in late 2020.

Taylor was walking up to the door when realised his mistake and started running for his car.

As he drove off he crashed into a nearby car, rammed a police vehicle and then took off reaching speeds of 120km/h while racing through the 60km/h zone in Huntly’s shopping district.

Police finally cornered Taylor, tackling him to the ground in front of his mother, son and niece on December 14, 2020.

Taylor had a 50g of methamphetamine hidden in a bum bag — almost 17 times the minimum trafficking amount — which he claimed was for personal use.

His lawyer said the Bendigo father was trying to register for a residential rehabilitation facility to deal with his addiction.

Magistrate Patrick Southey sentenced him to 18 months in prison, with a non-parole period of nine months.

Taylor had already served 232 days in pre-sentencing detention.

Mr Southey said additional fines and punishments would be finalised on Friday, March 19.