Kristopher Brian Clarke: Carrara man on rams police car while on drugs in a stolen car
A Carrara man rammed a stolen car into a police van while he was on drugs and with no licence. Watch the video here.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man who smashed a police car while on drugs, driving a stolen car and without a licence has been sentenced.
Kristopher Brian Clarke, 33, pleaded guilty to a string of charges including possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and damaging an emergency vehicle when operating a motor vehicle when he appeared via videolink in the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.
The court heard Clarke, disqualified from driving at the time, rammed a blue Mitsubishi ASX into a police van in an underground car park in Coolangatta on January 11, 2025.
The police van had travelled into the carpark and was parked with officers outside of the vehicle when the Mitsubishi drove into the front left side of the van.
The car had been stolen and Clarke had drugs in his system during the offence.
The court heard Clark had been on bail for other charges including unlawful use of a motor vehicle and being in possession of 3.681 grams of methamphetamine on August 7, 2024.
Police prosecutor Karen Friederichs told the court Clarke had 16 years of criminal history and served multiple periods of imprisonment for like offences but there had been no deterrence for reoffending.
Clarke’s defence lawyer Jason Grant from Grant Lawyers told the court his client had a longstanding drug addiction and had relapsed after a family member was diagnosed with cancer.
He told the court Clarke said he had little memory of the incident but put it down to his history with police and a flight or fight response.
Mr Grant said his client told him he didn’t intent to strike the vehicle and he was trying to drive in between the police van and a concrete bollard.
The court heard Clarke planned to live with his mother at a crime-free address once he was on parole.
Acting Magistrate Gary Finger took into account Clarke’s guilty plea and his “appalling” criminal history.
He spoke to Clarke about his drug use and said he was fortunate to have his family’s support.
Mr Finger sentenced Clarke to 18 months prison with his parole release date set for July 11, 2025.
The time Clarke spent in pre-sentence custody from January 11 was taken as time already served.
Clarke was disqualified from driving for at least three years for these offences however the court heard his licence had already been disqualified absolutely by the Supreme Court.
Mr Finger told Clarke he can apply for the licence disqualification to be removed after a few years if he behaves himself.
“If you keep coming back here for this sort of rubbish, you know what's going to happen?” he said. “First you’re not going to get bail and then you’re going to spend a long time in custody. Balls in your court now.”
6371540995112
More Coverage
Originally published as Kristopher Brian Clarke: Carrara man on rams police car while on drugs in a stolen car
Wally Lewis ties knot in secret ceremony
Rugby league Immortal Wally “The King” Lewis has married his long-time partner Lynda Adams in a secret ceremony at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane today with no expense spared.
Named: How clueless Pimpama ice trafficker led cops right to his door
A Gold Coast man from a good family was already in trouble with the law – but a mistake that led cops right to his door opened up a whole new world of legal pain for him, a court has heard.