A Shellharbour man who led police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Port Kembla reached double the legal limit and put "people's lives in considerable danger", a court has heard.
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Blake Andrew Stannard was driving a blue Holden Commodore at 115km/h in a 50km/h zone with the police hot on his tail before he crashed into a power pole and fled on the night of June 19 last year.
In Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, police prosecutor David Weaver called on Magistrate Claire Girotto to send Stannard to jail.
"You require utmost vigilance when driving in residential streets and he was going at 115km/h," Sergeant Weaver said.
Stannard, 47, was supposed to be abiding by a 10pm curfew under the terms of earlier-imposed bail conditions. Instead he was initiating a police chase at that very time.
The speeding Commodore which was first noticed by the police on Cowper Street in Port Kembla continued through Military Road, Darcy Road, King Street, Flinders Street and Five Islands Road.
According to police, Stannard drove "recklessly", turning off his headlights multiple times and driving through red traffic lights.
Stannard got away when police decided to terminate the pursuit due to heavy traffic, but a call to police shortly after informed them of a crashed car in Mount Warrigal.
It was the same blue Holden Commodore.
In court, the Mount Warrigal resident with multiple driving offences told Magistrate Girotto he was a changed man.
The court heard Stannard had been attending drug rehabilitation sessions since the offending.
"I've done a complete 180," Stannard said.
Magistrate Girotto ordered a sentencing assessment report ahead of Stannard's next court appearance on July 10.
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Zaina A Sayeda
Zaina Sayeda covers general news at Illawarra Mercury. If you've got a tip, email zaina.sayeda@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Zaina Sayeda covers general news at Illawarra Mercury. If you've got a tip, email zaina.sayeda@austcommunitymedia.com.au
