Jacob Telford: Jail helped me, recovering Mildura ice user says

A Mildura hoon who led police on a dangerous chase says his behaviour was kickstarted by a relationship gone sour.

A landscape gardener insists he’s ready to give up ice after leading police on a wild pursuit that included speeding towards oncoming traffic.

Mildura man Jacob Telford, 36, pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including dangerous driving while being pursued and theft, at Mildura Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Police told the court officers in an unmarked vehicle began following a grey Ford Falcon sedan at Pasadena Grove in Mildura on January 22.

The car turned onto Valencia Ave then Hawthorn Grove before losing police.

Soon after, Telford was spotted leaving the vehicle and changing his clothes near the Deakin Medical Centre.

Officers observed Telford in the driver’s seat at a Deakin Ave intersection.

He turned onto Thirteenth St and, after police activated lights and sirens, went into the wrong lane and drove towards oncoming traffic at speed.

Telford and the car were eventually located at Nichols Point.

He was in possession of antipsychotic medication used for treatment of schizophrenia, his vehicle was unregistered and his licence had been cancelled.

Days earlier, Telford was captured on CCTV filling up with $65 of unleaded fuel at the OTR in Irymple before leaving without attempting to pay.

Telford’s lawyer said he had a good employment history working as a landscape gardener in Deniliquin and Queensland.

Telford told Magistrate Michael Coghlan he had been “doing well” since a previous term of imprisonment.

He gave credit to the magistrate for the decision to put him behind bars on that occasion, saying it opened his eyes to the impact ice was having on his life.

“It made me realise how much more I regret using,” Telford said.

“You were the one who pretty much woke me up.”

Telford said his most recent offending came after a relationship breakdown and he would seek mental health treatment to avoid turning to drugs when things were difficult.

He said he wanted to get out of town and away from ice.

Mr Coghlan said Telford would have been warned previously about the potential for prison time should he drive while disqualified.

Mr Coghlan said it was “regrettable” Telford decided to drive on the wrong side of the road.

Telford was sentenced to 30 days in prison, with 10 days already served, for the dangerous driving charge.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months, to run concurrently with his existing four-year ban, and also convicted and discharged for possessing a drug of dependence and fined $400 for theft.