Patrick John Hannah faces Toowoomba Magistrates Court for high speed Warrego Highway chase in stolen car

An 18-year-old was granted immediate parole after a high-speed police chase in a stolen car on the Warrego Highway at the weekend.

Brisbane man Patrick John Hannah was arrested on Saturday, March 2, after police forced the stolen car he was travelling in to a stop at Plainland.

A number of Queensland Police resources, including Polair, were tasked to stop a stolen car travelling dangerously along the Warrego Highway at the weekend.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told an 18-year-old man, Patrick John Hannah, was driving with a passenger along the major highway west of Brisbane on Saturday night, March 2.

The court was told Ipswich police first spotted the car, reported stolen from Maroochydore on February 29, driving erratically at Dinmore.

After the first set of tyre deflation spikes failed, the court was told Hannah took off at speed towards Toowoomba, however he was being tracked from the air and ground, as an unmarked police car kept its distance.

The stolen car came to a crashing halt in a ditch along the highway at Plainland, after police successfully deployed a second set of tyre spikes.

Brisbane man Patrick John Hannah was arrested on Saturday, March 2, after police forced the stolen car he was travelling in to a stop at Plainland.

Before the Mercedes-Benz crashed, the court was told it was seen speeding, driving on the wrong side of the highway, and continued to drive without any rubber on its tyres.

Police prosecutor Rohan Brewster-Webb said Hannah told police he did not steal the car, but he knew it was stolen and intended to “ditch it” for a friend.

He would not tell the police who he got the car from and said he ran because he was scared of going to jail.

Mr Brewster-Webb said Hannah was well aware of what he was doing and chose to evade police which put the community and himself at risk.

He said it was a “stupid” choice and submitted a term of imprisonment was warranted.

The court was told the Brisbane teen had an extremely troubled childhood and struggled with amphetamine addiction, however he instructed the duty lawyer he was currently clean.

The soon-to-be 19-year-old pleaded guilty to the dangerous operation of a car, unlawful use of a car, evading police at night, driving with no supervision as a learner driver, and not displaying L-plates.

Patrick John Hannah appeared at in Toowoomba court via video link from the watch house on Monday, March 4. Picture: Peta McEachern

Magistrate Kay Ryan said the type of offending was “abhorrent to everyone”.

“This type of behaviour has become very prevalent,” she said.

“The law says I should take into account … you are a very young offender, and look at the principles of what we call rehabilitation which is getting you off the drugs, (and) I hear there are prospects of you getting a job.

“These are not easy decisions to make, the expectations of the general public is that this type of behaviour should be stamped out and that offenders should be punished to the full effect of the law.”

Ms Ryan noted a provision of the law stated offenders should only be imprisoned as a last resort, and community based orders were “preferable”.

Hannah was sentenced to a six month jail term, with immediate parole.

“If you breach your parole … you will go to prison … do you understand what I’m saying? You are getting a chance today,” Ms Ryan told Hannah.

He was also fined $740 and disqualified from obtaining a driver’s licence for two years.