Serial offender, William James Hine, confesses to consuming meth prior to motorbike crash

A Dalby father and serial offender confessed to police he had consumed ‘heaps of meth’ before causing a crash while on his motorbike more than two weeks after speeding off from police who attempted to pull him over for separate offences.

A man confessed to police to consuming ‘heaps of meth’ just before he caused a car crash at an intersection almost three weeks after evading authorities by speeding off.

William James Hine appeared by video link at Dalby Magistrates Court on April 18 after being arrested on February 27 for a string of drug and traffic related offences.

Police prosecutor Derek Brady said the 41-year-old crashed into a car while riding a motorbike along Cambooya St in Drayton after failing to give way at a busy intersection.

“Police spoke to all parties who identified the motorbike as being the one who caused the crash,” Sergeant Brady said.

“When (police) pulled him over they observed his behaviour as erratic, he was extremely sweaty and incoherent in speech at the time.

“He told police he had ‘heaps of meth’ that morning, which was his excuse for failing to give way.”

Police transported the man to hospital where he presented a positive blood analysis of methamphetamine and amphetamine.

The court was told the crash was not severe.

Less than three weeks prior to the crash, Hine was driving a car on Hume St in Drayton when police activated sirens to pull the man over as his licence had been disqualified.

Sergeant Brady said the man sped off from police driving 85km/hr in a 60km zone.

The court was told on March 1 while at the Toowoomba watch house for separate matters, Hine made full admissions to evading police, saying “I’m guilty” while they were in the middle of explaining his evade notice.

Defence lawyer Julia Molloy said her client’s life had begun to “spiral” out of control during the time of the offences which he committed while serving a suspended sentence that was passed down last year for 41 drug and traffic related offences.

“It’s the case he does have a drug problem,” she said.

“He comes from a background of trauma and needs to engage in services.”

William James Hine was sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court April 18, 2023 for evading police and a string of drug and traffic related offences. Picture: Facebook

Magistrate Kyna Morice acknowledged the man’s long history.

“I accept the motivation of the offences are drug-related, but the number of actual drug offences are very low in comparison to what you’ve normally been dealt with for,” she said.

“Whenever you use drugs and get behind the wheel of a car you’re putting other people at risk, you indeed caused an accident and it doesn’t matter that it was minor. It would’ve been incredibly scary for the other driver.”

Hine pleaded guilty to one count of evading police, driving while under the influence, failing to give way at an intersection, contravening a direction of a police officer, disobeying the speed limit, two counts of driving without a licence and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.

He was sentenced to 50 days’ jail for the evade offence with Ms Morice declaring 50 days having been served in pre-sentence custody.

For the driving without a licence, driving under the influence and failing to give way offences he was sentenced to three months’ jail wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months, and was sentenced to two years’ probation with a mandatory court order of engaging with mental health counselling.

He was disqualified from driving for two years for the evade offence, and 12 months for driving under the influence.

Magistrate Morice said in respect to the suspended sentence Hine was ordered to serve the one month term with the pre-sentence custody of 50 days applicable.

Originally published as Serial offender, William James Hine, confesses to consuming meth prior to motorbike crash