Jason Tirta sentenced for role in Mercedes pursuit with off-duty cops

A Boronia man allegedly told by an off-duty police officer to speed off after he was pulled over during a CBD pursuit has learnt his fate in court.

Jason Tirta outside Ringwood Magistrates' Court, where he appeared for sentencing on March 16, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

The driver involved in a CBD pursuit involving two off-duty police officers, one of whom allegedly told him to drive away after he was pulled over, has been booted off the roads for 12 months.

Boronia’s Jason Tirta, 23, was sentenced at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after he previously pleaded guilty to his role in the pursuit on April 24, 2021.

Tirta, a former nightclub promoter, was the driver of an unregistered black Mercedes spotted by police near Little Bourke and William streets about 3am.

Four others were also inside Tirta’s car, including the two off-duty officers, one of whom was a friend.

Boronia's Jason Tirta, a former nightclub promoter, outside Ringwood Magistrates' Court on January 19, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

At his previous court appearance in January, the court heard one of the off-duty officers allegedly screamed at Tirta to drive away, minutes after police had pulled him over.

Tirta, who was awaiting instructions from the officers parked behind him, sped off towards King St, and continued against traffic on Little Bourke St, before he and his passengers dumped the car and ran away.

Along with charges from the pursuit, Tirta had also previously pleaded guilty to assault charges stemming from other incidents in 2019.

They included a delivery of nitrous oxide canisters – also known as nangs – to a Blackburn apartment and an attack at Prahran’s Love Machine nightclub, where he punched and kicked another clubber on the dancefloor and then pushed them down some stairs.

Jason Tirta outside Ringwood Magistrates' Court on March 16, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging

In handing down his sentence, Magistrate Justin Foster condemned Tirta for his behaviour on the night of the pursuit.

“It goes without saying the gravity of your offending is serious … not withstanding the fact you had other police officers in the back of your vehicle directing you to take off in the dangerous matter of which you did,” he said.

Tirta, who appeared in court without his lawyer, had his driver’s licence cancelled and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He was also placed on a 12-month community corrections order and ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid community service, half of which could be used on rehabilitation such as attending a men’s behavioural course.

Mr Foster also ordered Tirta to pay $250 compensation for damage to a side car mirror in one of the incidents.

The identities of the off-duty officers involved in the pursuit remain unknown due to an internal police investigation.