Runawaydriverjailed

Wanted man drove station wagon at injured police officer

“WANTED man” Noah Neptune Weiss-Trew was on the run from the law last Christmas when he knocked a policeman off his motor bike.

The injured officer was able to roll out of the way just in time before the criminal drove his station wagon over his head.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Tasmania heard that Weiss-Trew was on parole for unrelated offending, but his parole was revoked late

November last year, with warrant issued for his arrest.

The disqualified driver and wanted man was picked up speeding as he bought alcohol in the Huon Valley region on Christmas Day last year.

A police officer on a motorcycle activated his lights and sirens, Chief Justice Alan Blow said.

Weiss-Trew pulled over but then reversed the station a wagon, knocking the con stable to the ground and continuing to reverse towards him.

He then drove away dangerously—speeding, overtaking two cars at a time while approaching the crest of a hill, then narrowly avoiding a head-on collision. Four days later, he was caught at 131 km/h, with police following him as he neared Hastings Caves.

They deployed road spikes but Weiss-Trew sped over them at 100km/h before abandoninghiscar.

“Police officers searched for him, with the assistance of a helicopter, for about four hours, without success,” Chief Justice Blow said. “The next day, 30 December, police officers located Mr Weiss-Trew, who was hiding in bush land .”

The 22-year-old, who has had a drug problem for years, had not slept for several nights before Christmas last year.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, evading police, resisting a police officer, possessing a controlled drug, using a controlled drug, speeding and unlawfully possessing dangerous articles inapublicplace.

He was jailed for 28 months andeightweeks.