Ignoring the cops costs $7K

FAILING to stop for police when directed has left a 20year-old Brookstead man with a $7000 hole in his wallet.

Harry James Mulligan had been driving his father’s Mitsubishi Triton without permission near Westbrook in the early hours of May 22 when he came across a police patrol.

The police followed him as he drove on the Gore Highway toward Pittsworth before activating lights and siren, indicating to the 20-year-old to pull over, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

However, though he appeared to be slowing down to pull over, Mulligan had sped away, police prosecutor Cameron Francis told the court.

On June 14, police received a statutory declaration nominated Mulligan as the driver.

On August 16, he took part in an interview with police and admitted to being the driver that night, Mr Francis said.

Mulligan said he felt intimidated as he knew he shouldn’t have been driving his father’s car without permission.

Because the Queensland Police Service has a policy of not pursuing vehicles on safety grounds, the penalties for failing to stop when directed were either 50 penalty units, which equated to $6892.50, or 50 days actually served in jail.

Mulligan pleaded guilty to evading police.

His solicitor Nick Smith, of Bernays Lawyers, said his client hadn’t appreciated the consequences of such offending and was regretful.

The 20-year-old worked on a farm and because his job involved driving machinery from farm to farm he would most likely lose his job due to his loss of driver’s licence, he said.

His client had $4000 saved up and could pay a fine, Mr Smith submitted.

Magistrate Graham Lee fined Mulligan $6892.50 and disqualified him from driving for two years but ordered the conviction not be recorded.