Jamaine John Fing sentenced in Toowoomba court for involvement in cop hit-and-run

A Toowoomba court has been told a man had such a horrific childhood he later turned to crime and began injecting methamphetamine.

Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

A Toowoomba magistrate said a man spent an unjust amount of time in custody after he was arrested for his involvement in a fuel drive-off, which resulted in an officer being hit by a stolen car.

Jamaine John Fing spent 159 days in custody, which magistrate Kay Philipson said was a third of a 16 month sentence – which was an excessive amount of time when considering his crimes.

In Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 26, Fing pleaded guilty to 11 charges which included possessing and receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a car, wilful damage, obstructing police, and trespass.

The court was told Fing was a passenger in a stolen car that allegedly struck a police officer as it sped away from a Rangeville 7-Eleven service station in November 2022.

Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

The officer was not seriously injured, however the fuel hose was in the vehicle at the time and the handle was damaged as the car took off.

Solicitor Joe Millican said the Indigenous man was subjected to a disadvantaged early childhood marred by abuse and exposure to violence and drugs.

Mr Millican said the 37-year-old Toowoomba-born man could not read or write, as he had no formal schooling, and after being abused he started using drugs from the age of 12, which quickly escalated to injecting meth in his early teens.

Mr Millican said due to the circumstances in Fing’s formative years, he had a “reduced moral culpability”.

The court heard since being on remand, Fing was being treated with Sublocade injections for the first time, which he intended to use upon his release to help with his substance issues.

Magistrate Kay Philipson said Fing’s time in remand had been more difficult as he was subject to significant lockdowns and overcrowding in his cell.

Fing was sentenced to a 10 month jail term with immediate parole.