Drug user imprisoned for ‘shocking’ traffic history

Police had to swerve to avoid offender before he ‘wrapped a car around a tree’.

A 21-YEAR-OLD man is feeling anxious about being separated from his ill grandmother while he is behind bars.

But that didn't stop the magistrate sentencing the man, who faced more than 30 serious offences, to years worth of jail time.

Lachlan Charles Miller, 21, appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates Court via video link from Maryborough Correctional Centre last Thursday, April 9 after he was taken to prison on February 22.

He pleaded guilty to all 34 charges he faced, including driving without a licence disqualified by a court order, six breaches of bail, robbery, trespassing, evasion of police, possession of dangerous drugs and driving an unlicensed vehicle.

Ms Pink said the defendant's traffic history was "shocking" for such a young man.

"You have an appalling traffic history, demonstrating appalling disregard for court orders and for the members of the public in those dangerous operations," she said.

"I am told you have recognised it is extremely fortunate you were not injured, but that no one else was injured in your actions.

"Police had to swerve at the incident at Yarraman and no members of the public were injured when you wrapped a car around tree when you crossed wrong side of the road."

In his defence, Mr Campbell said his client's traffic history was deplorable, but he was still relatively young.

"After he was given bail, my client relapsed with meth use," Mr Campbell said.

"When he found out his bail was revoked because he breached his bail, this particular series of offending was far worse than previous offences."

He said his client did not have the best of upbringings.

Mr Campbell also said Mr Miller had an ill grandmother and it was causing him anxiety to be away from her.

In handing down her sentence, Ms Pink said she accepted the submissions by the police prosecutor and defence lawyer, including his concerns about his sick grandmother.

However, she said it wouldn't change her decision.

"I assume you would like to see her but unfortunately I cannot let that happen," she said.

"What I have to reveal today are the penalties for your conduct.

"There are always consequences for your actions, and you need to think about that when you are released."

Ms Pink convicted and sentenced Miller to 15 months' imprisonment for the disqualified driving charge from February 1, 2020, which was the head sentence.

He received a further six months' imprisonment for the evasion of police offence, 12 months' imprisonment for each of the disqualified driving and dangerous operations of a motor vehicle offences, two months' imprisonment for each of the breach of bail charges, and three months' imprisonment for each charge of entering a premises with attempt to possess a motor vehicle.

Miller also received four months' imprisonment for entering a premises and committing an offence, and two months for a series of offences of obstruct police.

For all other charges he was convicted and not further punished.

He was disqualified from obtaining a licence for two years, cumulative, for each of the offences of evading police committed.

Mr Miller received a fixed parole date of June 19 when he will have served four months in prison.

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