Jesse Scanlan: Drunk Cranbourne P-plater in air wing police pursuit
Dark and dangerous: A 21-year-old led cops on a wild wrong-way chase with no lights on before dumping his ride and legging it.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A P-plater led police on a crazy pursuit, weaving across to the wrong side of the road with no headlights on, a court has heard.
Jesse Scanlan was chased by traffic cops and the air wing before he stopped his car in a side street and ran off with his mate.
But the Cranbourne 21-year-old and his pal were soon cornered and arrested.
Scanlan said he felt drunk but strangely only blew .027, although he should have been zero anyway.
He pleaded guilty to three driving-related offences at the Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Friday, with five more charges withdrawn.
The court heard at 11pm on August 27 this year police saw Scanlan’s car on Cranbourne-Frankston Rd in Langwarrin, with no headlights on.
They turned around but Scanlan took off at excessive sped, going over a median strip and weaving across to the wrong side of the road.
He then got on the Westernport Highway, where the air wing joined the chase.
Scanlan drove into a quiet housing estate in Cranbourne West and pulled over before jumping out and running down the street.
Traffic police arrived on the scene after being directed there by the air wing, and Scanlan was arrested.
He told officers he knew police wanted him to stop but had been drinking so continued to drive.
He said he felt intoxicated and was thrown in the police station drunk tank to sober up.
Defence lawyer Kelly Floris said Scanlan had had a difficult couple of years, had mental health issues and had been disconnected from his family.
She said he was “remorseful, ashamed and disappointed” by his driving, was now in stable housing and had work available in the mechanical field.
She said he was a youthful offender, had already spent time behind bars and he had been completely frank with police.
Scanlan had been on remand for 42 days until this hearing, when some of the charges were then dropped by police.
Magistrate Richard Pithouse said he had endured six weeks in prison which was “definitely enough” time for his crimes.
Scanlan was convicted and fined $2000, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
