Accused car thief held in custody

AN OAKEY man accused of stealing a car then running from police has been refused bail and remanded in custody.

Acting Magistrate Roger Stark noted Cody Gene Bartley was already on bail for matters including the unlawful use of a motor vehicle when he was apprehended by police on Wednesday morning.

Police claim they came across a vehicle on a jack at the side of the road on Goombungee Rd about 9.30am Wednesday.

Another vehicle with three occupants arrived at the scene, presumably to change the tyre, and police allege when those people spied police they had sped away in their vehicle which went out of control and crashed.

The three occupants had then allegedly fled into bushland but were soon apprehended. Bartley was allegedly found with small amounts of marijuana and methylamphetamine.

Bartley, 23, spent the night in custody before appearing in Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday on charges of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

He was not required to enter any pleas to the charges and his solicitor Shane MacDonald applied for bail on his behalf.

Mr MacDonald told the court his client instructed he had the permission of the car’s owner to have the vehicle at the time.

He said other people were with his client at the time when the drugs were found by police.

Mr MacDonald said his client would abide by all bail conditions and was prepared to wear an ankle bracelet if required.

However, Mr Stark refused bail and remanded the 23year-old in custody with the case set for mention back in the same court on January 17.