Liam Anthony McManus offended one day after being released on parole

The 25-year-old committed a dangerous driving and associated offences on Jellicoe Street the day after being released on parole by the court.

SEVEN months behind bars was deemed time enough for a 25-year-old Toowoomba man who pleaded guilty to 34 offences including a dangerous driving incident.

Liam Anthony McManus had been released on parole on September 23, last year, and the next day was involved in a shocking driving incident on Jellicoe St, North Toowoomba.

Police on patrol had pulled in behind the then 24-year-old as he sat in the driver’s seat of a car stopped at a red light at the Mort St intersection about 1am, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Being unlicensed in an unregistered, uninsured vehicle with false number plates, McManus sped away through the red light when police approached his vehicle.

Ignoring police directives to stop, McManus turned off his headlights and crossed onto the wrong side Jellicoe St, forcing an oncoming driver to take evasive action to avoid a collision, the court heard.

McManus was found by police and taken into custody.

He spent the ensuing 229 days in custody with the initial part serving out his former sentence but 81 days could be declared as time served under the sentence, his solicitor Matt Gemmell told the court.

McManus, who appeared via video link from Woodford Correctional Centre, also pleaded guilty to a range of offences including disqualified driving, breaching bail by not recharging the ankle bracelet tracking device he had to wear as part of his bail conditions, possessing prescription drugs and meth and attempting to smuggle a needle and syringe into a prison.

Mr Gemmell said his client had endured a “terrible childhood” and had started using drugs at 13 after his biological father was deported on a sex offence conviction.

However, McManus had a life changing experience when he found out he had fathered a child, which his ex-partner hadn’t told him about, and while in custody he had sought counselling and was determined to stay sober when released from jail, he said.

Magistrate Kay Phillipson took into account the time McManus had spent in custody and sentenced him to six months in jail but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith and he be released from custody.