Jail for highway carjacking attempt

A BAGDAD man who jumped into a stranger’s car on the Midland Highway and tried to push her out of it when she refused his request to “hurry up and drive” has been jailed for six months.

Joshua Roy Tapp, 29, had previously pleaded guilty to attempted carjacking and was sentenced yesterday in the Supreme Court in Hobart.

The court heard police were trying to arrest Tapp over breaches of a family-violence order on September 15 last year when the female driver saw Tapp running down the middle of the Midland Highway at Brighton about 9.15am.

Justice Gregory Geason said the woman thought Tapp may have needed help, and as he approached the passenger side of her car, she opened the window to speak to him.

Justice Geason said Tapp got into the car and yelled at the woman.

“You told her to hurry up and drive,” he said.

He said when the woman told Tapp she was not going to drive, he grabbed her wrists to keep her in the car, then grabbed the gear lever and tried to climb into the driver’s seat.

Justice Geason said that at that point Tapp tried to push the woman out of the car.

The court heard police officers had seen Tapp approach the woman’s car and when he realised the police knew where he was, Tapp fled on foot and was arrested soon after.

“This sort of offence is easy to commit but likely to cause significant trauma to its victims,” Justice Geason said.

“This was not a targeted offence . . . [but] one where you had taken advantage of the complainant’s willingness to assist.”

Justice Geason said Tapp had a poor record but material before the court showed he was “exhibiting insight” into his behaviour.

He sentenced Tapp to six months’ jail.