MATES FACE JAIL OVER LIE TO POLICE

TWO mates from Geelong are behind bars after concocting a foolish plan to lie to police over the identity of a wanted driver.

Barwon Heads man Nicholas Hawkins and his friend Joseph Donohue are facing lengthy jail terms after admitting yesterday in court that they deliberately misled officers investigating two incidents last year.

The Geelong County Court heard the first of those occurred in March 2018 when Hawkins fled police in his father’s Volkswagen after being stopped at a preliminary breath testing site in Richmond.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Moore said the former St Joseph’s College student handed his licence to a policewoman at the site, before speeding away over fears she was about to discover he was a suspended driver.

Blinded by loyalty to his friend, Donohue later signed a statutory declaration in a bid to take the fall for Hawkins, falsely claiming that he was the man driving on the night.

Donohue lied again for his mate by signing another declaration that stated he was driving the Volkswagen when it led police on a dangerous chase through Geelong in May 2018.

Despite the lies, the court heard the plot was doomed from the outset.

Mr Moore said the men’s plan came undone soon after Donohue’s first statutory declaration was handed into the Bellarine police station.

He said that was partly due to the fact the policewoman in Richmond had remembered Hawkins’ distinctive neck tattoo as he sat behind the wheel.

Hawkins, 28, and Donohue, 32, have been in custody since they were arrested in June last year.

The pair pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to pervert the course of justice, while Hawkins also pleaded guilty to a string of driving and firearmrelated offences.

Defence barrister Tim Smurthwaite, for Donohue, said his client was a schizophrenic who had nothing to gain from participating in the scheme.

Remy van de Wiel QC, representing Hawkins, said the former council worker was also battling long-term mental health issues and drug use when he committed the crimes.

Mr Van de Wiel called his client’s father to the witness box, who told the court Hawkins’ troubles stemmed from his mother’s death from cancer more than a decade ago.

“It’s had a marked effect on him,” Ian Hawkins said. “It seems the drugs were a form of escape.”

Hawkins and Donohue were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on July 24.