Teenager cops jail time on first series of offences

THE 18-year-old had no traffic or criminal history before driving a stolen vehicle and failing to stop on police direction.

The teenager had driving a stolen vehicle when he failed to stop for police.

A TOOWOOMBA teenager who sped past police on the Warrego Highway in a stolen vehicle and then refused to stop has been handed jail term.

Police claim Tyrese William Anthony Weribone had been driving at over 115kmh when he drove passed a police patrol near Plainland on June 24.

The 18-year-old had been driving a Jeep Cherokee which had earlier been reported stolen from a Potter St residence in South Toowoomba, the city's Magistrates Court heard.

The teenager was only stopped after police deployed tyre deflating devices (stingers) across the highway, police prosecutor Nikola Prince said.

Weribone was found with 0.7g of cannabis and he had been driving while unlicensed.

Ms Prince said Weribone had no traffic or criminal history but the offence of failing to stop on police direction carried a term of imprisonment of 50 days actually served.

Weribone appeared by video link from Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre to plead guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, evade police, possessing a dangerous drug and driving unlicensed.

His solicitor Alysha Jacobsen, of Bouchier Khan Lawyers, told the court her client had already spent 80 days in pre-sentence custody.

Magistrate Kay Ryan noted Weribone was still young and having to endure lockdown in the prison due to COVID-19 would have made his time there all the more uncomfortable.

Ms Ryan sentenced the teenager to 80 days jail on the unlawful use offence and 50 days on the evade police charge and ordered he be released from custody forthwith.

Weribone was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for the mandatory minimum period of two years.

Originally published as Teenager cops jail time on first series of offences