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Rockingham: man sent to prison for high speed chase through Bertram

Gabrielle JefferyWeekend Kwinana Courier

FULL cans of beer and pizza boxes forced a police car to take evasive action during a high speed chase in Bertram earlier this year.

Appearing via video-link from Hakea Prison, Shane Malcolm Oxenham pleaded guilty to failing to stop for police, reckless driving by speeding 45 km/h or more to escape pursuit, breach of bail and having no authority to drive at Rockingham Magistrates Court today.

The prosecutor said the incident began on Bertram Road when police tried to pull over Oxenham.

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When they put on lights and sirens he sped away reaching speeds of 110km/h in a 70km/h zone and 140km/h in an 80km/h zone.

In a bid to stop police chasing him, full cans of beer and pizza boxes were hurtled towards the police car, but police managed to avoid being hit by the projectiles.

The chase ended when Oxenham failed to turn at a T-junction, instead locking up the wheels of his car and slamming into a fence.

Three passengers got out of his car unharmed and Oxenham was arrested.

The duty lawyer said Oxenham had prior offences for reckless driving and had an arrest warrant out at the time and did not want to go to prison so took off when police tried to pull him over.

He said he had already spent time in custody and asked Magistrate Vivian Edwards to take that into account when sentencing.

Magistrate Edwards said it was fortunate his passengers and other road users had not been injured during the pursuit.

She sentenced him to eight months imprisonment, disqualified him from driving for life, ordered forfeiture of $1000 bail and fined him $750.

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