Jamara Warren Henningsen leads police on pursuit in stolen car

An 18-year-old man ran from a burglary to a stolen car and then led police on a slow-speed pursuit through Toowoomba. He’s now fronted court for his actions.

A teenage parolee had grappled with a homeowner during a burglary before jumping into a stolen car and leading police on a slow-speed pursuit which ended when his tyres were spiked – all in a couple of hours.

Out of jail on parole just seven days, Jamara Warren Henningsen and a co-offender were found by a screaming woman in her Toowoomba home on the night of April 15, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

As the intruders ran to the garage, the homeowner followed and got into a push and shove with Henningsen from either side of the garage door.

Eventually the 18-year-old pushed the door so hard the woman fell backwards injuring herself, and Henningsen and his co-offender ran to a waiting Honda Accord which had been reported stolen, the court heard.

A short time later, a police patrol spotted the Honda in Erin St, Wilsonton, and followed with lights and siren activated as the Honda turned east onto Bridge St.

During the ensuing pursuit, the Honda veered onto the wrong side of the road, forcing oncoming traffic to take evasive action, the court heard.

Jamara Warren Henningsen appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court via video link from the prison on Friday, September 9, 2022.

Despite police spikes across Bridge St near the Gowrie Road Hotel deflating two tyres, the Honda continued on but came to a halt in Campbell St where the trio in the car was arrested and taken into custody.

Henningsen appeared via video link from the prison to plead guilty to dangerous driving, evading police, disqualified driving, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, burglary, entering a premises with intent, having false number plates and trespassing arising from that night.

His solicitor Ryan McCullough, of MacDonald Law, told the court methylamphetamine had played a large role in the teenager’s offending.

His client had a full-time release date of July 15, 2023, on his previous sentence, and it would be up to the parole board when he was released on these offences.

Magistrate Clare Kelly noted Henningsen had five pages of criminal history for similar offending.

Taking into account he’d served 147 days in custody since arrest, Ms Kelly sentenced Henningsen to 18 months in jail but ordered he be eligible to apply for parole immediately.

Henningsen was disqualified from driving for two years on three separate offences.