Man jailed for assault and leading police on two pursuits

A GRAFTON man has found himself behind bars after he led police on two pursuits through the city CBD earlier this year

Judge gavel, scales of justice and law books in court generic Townsville

A MAN who led police on two high-speed pursuits through the streets of Grafton was sentenced this week.

Allan Walker, 33, appeared in Grafton Local Court on Tuesday after entering guilty pleas to two charges of police pursuit and driving a motor vehicle while disqualified.

According to police facts tendered to the court, on August 22 at 2.20pm Walker was driving a black BMW on Queen St when he was spotted by an unmarked police car, as recent information indicated Walker was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants.

The police activated lights and sirens in an attempt to stop Walker, who swerved and did a U-turn through a median parking area before crossing onto the wrong wide of the road outside Grafton Regional Library and accelerating away.

A pursuit was initiated but was terminated soon after because of the dangerous manner of driving and the risk to the public - and police lost sight of the BMW.

Several police vehicles began searching for Walker and a short time later he was spotted. Walker accelerated towards Queen St, passing other vehicles on the wrong side of the road well in excess of the 50km/h posted speed limit.

At 2.23pm police began another pursuit but it was again stopped due to Walker's dangerous manner of driving, where he lost control of the vehicle attempting to take a corner on Duke St before accelerating towards Grafton Cemetery, overtaking a vehicle on the wrong side on the Dobie St roundabout.

Police again lost sight of the BMW, but Walker was soon spotted by detectives on Clarence St. Walker turned on to Powell St and stopped outside a property where he was physically taken to the ground and arrested.

In Grafton Local Court on Tuesday, Walker's solicitor said his pleas of guilty were a sign of his remorse for his actions, and that Walker had suffered through a difficult childhood growing up in an Aboriginal community at Tabulam.

Walker's solicitor said his client had often used violence as a means of protecting himself, and that a brain injury had increased his susceptibility to use violence to resolve personal issues, but he has a plan for the future with the support of his family.

Walker also entered guilty pleas to contravening an AVO and assault occasioning actual bodily harm from August 19 this year.

For all the offences Magistrate Karen Stafford imposed an aggregate sentence of 2.5 years, with a non-parole period of 15 months.

Originally published as Man jailed for assault and leading police on two pursuits