Man drove high on meth, pursued through three suburbs by police

A YOUNG man has pleaded guilty to driving erratically through the streets of Darwin while high on meth and being pursued by police, following a shocking week of traffic offending in the Territory

A man has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a police pursuit and for driving while high on meth. (Generic file picture: iStock)

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A YOUNG man has pleaded guilty to driving erratically through the streets of Darwin while high on meth and being pursued by police, following a shocking week of traffic offending in the Territory.

Teddy Wesley, 22, appeared in the dock of Darwin Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a total of 11 charges including driving while disqualified, drug-driving, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and recklessly endangering life.

On October 10 last year, Wesley was spotted by police at Karama shopping centre at around 6.45am and began a pursuit which continued through the streets of Karama, Malak and Leanyer.

Police deployed tyre deflation devices but Wesley continued driving before eventually stopping at the intersection of Vanderlin and Leanyer Dr.

He later tested positive to having meth in his system.

Wesley’s lawyer Elana Scoufis said her client should be released from jail after serving around six months to be admitted into residential rehab to address his problems with drug use.

“He remains a 22-year-old man with the hope and motivation to change,” she said.

“He’s never been to residential rehabilitation in his life.”

However, prosecutor Damien Jones told the court Wesley should have learnt from his previous conviction of driving while on meth.

“Rehabilitation isn’t a one-way street … it’s got to come from the individual themselves,” he said.

“If Mr Wesley now has insight, if he truly has insight, once he’s released he can self refer (to rehab).”

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The court also heard via a victim impact statement tendered in court that a woman was almost hit by Wesley during the incident. “What she talks about is when she was confronted with a car driving straight towards her,” Mr Jones said.

“Thankfully, and it’s just by sheer luck that no one was killed or severely injured. This is the type of conduct where people don’t come home.”

Wesley will return to court on February 26 for sentencing.