Drugged-up hoon pays the penalty

AN unlicensed driver who stole a car and drove dangerously through several Hobart suburbs before turning the wrong way onto Davey St and crashing has been jailed.

Adam James Bishop, 31, of Chigwell, last week pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court in Hobart to dangerous driving and related charges.

Sentencing Bishop yesterday, Acting Justice David Porter said Bishop’s driving, which covered about 50km, was “a most serious example of this type of offence”.

“You should not have been driving at all,” Acting Justice Porter said. “You were driving a stolen motor vehicle … many people were put at risk. You repeatedly ignored police attempts to stop you.”

The court heard Bishop stole a car from the Sexual Assault Support Service in New Town on February 25, and when he drove the car to meet his drug dealer in Lenah Valley, about 11.40am on February 28, police saw him and approached him.

Acting Justice Porter said Bishop, upon seeing the police, locked the car doors and drove off at speed.

Bishop drove through Lenah Valley, Kingston — where he drove past a road worker holding a stop sign — Blackmans Bay — where he stole petrol from a service station — Sandy Bay, Mount Nelson and central Hobart. The court heard he drove past a school at 70-80km/h in a 50km/h zone, reached a speed of 140km/h on the Southern Outlet, and overtook two cars on the outlet by driving to the left of the inside lane.

Acting Justice Porter said Bishop avoided two sets of road spikes police used in an attempt to stop him, but the left front tyre was damaged when he drove through two more sets of road spikes at Sandy Bay.

It was when Bishop turned onto Davey St and was driving against the one-way traffic — which was heavy at the time — that his escapade came to an end.

Acting Justice Porter said Bishop crashed into two cars on Davey St, got out of his car and ran off.

“[He was] chased down by a member of the public and held until police arrived,” Acting Justice Porter said. He said an oral fluid test found the drug ice in Bishop’s system.

Acting Justice Porter said Bishop had a lengthy criminal record, mostly for crimes of dishonesty, and he had a longstanding substance abuse problem, but he was “desperate” to attempt to rehabilitate.

He sentenced Bishop to a total of three years and nine months’ jail, with a non-parole period of two years.

He also disqualified Bishop from driving for three years upon his release.