A MAN who led police on a chase with his seven-year-old daughter in the car in Singleton was jailed for 13 months when he appeared in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Friday .
Phillip James White (33) pleaded guilty 14 charges including reckless driving to escape pursuit by police, no authority to drive, failing to give information identifying the driver or person in charge of a vehicle, using a number plate that was forged or fraudulently altered and breach of bail.
The police prosecutor said White drove a Holden Colorado in Golden Bay with three others in the vehicle, including his daughter.
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READ NOWHe said police activated their lights and siren but White did not stop. He said White went 80kmh over a roundabout and crossed to the centre of the road, only just negotiating a bend on Harmony Parade.
White drove over a footpath at 80kmh to 90kmh and 250m into a park, before driving back onto Harmony Parade.
The prosecutor said White failed to negotiate a bend on Federation Drive and drove on the wrong side of the road for about 100m at speed.
White drove up a cul-de-sac near Singleton Beach Road and the vehicle got stuck on a bund. White tried to leave the vehicle but was arrested by police.
The court was told White had driven with the wrong licence plates on the Kwinana Freeway in 2016 and drove without a valid licence several times in 2017.
White’s lawyer said his client panicked when he saw police and knew he should not have put his daughter in that position.
The court was told White had two prior reckless driving convictions and nine offences for driving while under licence suspension.
The lawyer said White had made efforts to get his licence back by getting his learner’s permit, but he would drive without a licensed driver in the vehicle.
White had a sad history of illicit substance abuse and had shown remorse for his actions.
Magistrate Anne Longden fined White $1500 and his licence was permanently disqualified. She backdated the prison term to March 8 and he is eligible for parole.
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