Glynn Rowan Oates in Rockhampton court for dangerous operation of a vehicle

An unlicensed, drug-addicted driver who put a police officer’s life at risk when he dragged them 30m through traffic will be eligible for parole in December this year.

Glynn Oates.

A dad who started using the drug ice after suffering a back injury has told a Rockhampton magistrate that he wants complete rehab as soon as he is released from prison.

Rockhampton Magistrates Court heard Glynn Rowan Oates, 34, was on parole when he dangerously operated a vehicle in Berserker on June 19, dragging a police officer who was trying to stop him 30 metres.

“A police officer’s life was put at risk,” Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said.

“The driving was dangerous, not just in respect of dragging that police officer, but in the manner that you went up the street and then U-turned across traffic.

“It seems that when you get in the car and try to avoid the police all sense goes out the window.”

Oates was also unlicensed at the time and driving a vehicle that was uninsured, unregistered and had false number plates.

He was also charged with driving without a licence in Park Avenue on May 8.

Ms Beckinsale said Oates had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment for a dangerous operation of a vehicle where, in the early hours, he sped at 100km/h in a 6okm/h zone.

“It is an escalation,” she said.

Defence lawyer Rebecca Winning said her client had suffered a back injury and started using ice.

Ms Beckinsale said it was heartening to hear he had found it to be a good thing to be clean during the period of imprisonment.

“The next step is getting your mindset around how you operate once you’re back in the community,” she said.

“It’s your decisions from here on that determine whether you’re going to be someone who cycles in and out of jail your whole life and don’t even get to know your children.

“It is sad and it is a waste of your life.”

Oates pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle, three counts of driving without a licence, and one count each of contravening a direction or requirement of a police officer, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving an uninsured vehicle, driving a vehicle with false registration plates, possessing utensils or pipes for use and possessing property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence.

Ms Beckinsale sentenced Oates to 18 months prison, declared 23 days of presentence custody as time served and ordered he be eligible for parole on December 19, 2024.

He was disqualified from driving for two years.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Glynn Rowan Oates in Rockhampton court for dangerous operation of a vehicle