A DRUNK P-plater led police on a high speed chase after officers had tried to speak to him while parked in his own driveway, a court has heard.
Dylan Freeman, 23, was more than twice the blood alcohol limit and double the speed limit during the pursuit, which ended when police arrested him returning home.
The Ballarat man was supported by his mother – the one who initially called the police – when he appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday, pleading guilty to drink driving, driving in a manner dangerous and failing to obey directions by police.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Kent said police had arrived at Freeman’s home about 3am on January 2 this year and saw him sitting in a car in the driveway.
The officers told Freeman not to drive, but he ignored them and sped off along Humffray Street, causing police to activate their warning lights.
Reaching speeds of more than 120km/h in the 60km/h zone and crossing onto the wrong side of the road, Freeman sped out of the police line of sight.
But he returned home a short time later with police waiting for him.
He was breath tested about 5am and blew 0.125.
Senior Constable Kent said Freeman’s car was also impounded for 28 days.
Defence lawyer Jacob Torney said his client was not in a good mental state at the time of the offending, but had made significant gains since.
“His behaviour in the last two months has been markedly improved,” he said.
Magistrate Peter Couzens described the offending as “potentially catastrophic”.
“It’s a very busy thoroughfare and the risk to you or other drivers or passengers was significant,” he said.
“It’s lucky something more serious didn’t unfold, had it happened you would be facing a higher court.”
Mr Couzens sentenced Freeman to a 12-month community corrections order with conviction, and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.