A DRUGGED defendant who fled from the Devonport Magistrates Court had taken seven to eight points of ice before his doomed escape, a court has heard.
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Prisoner Luke Murray John Jago, 30, was breached on his suspended sentence on Wednesday and given another suspended sentence on release.
In the Launceston Magistrates Court, Magistrate Reg Marron wholly restored Jago’s four-month suspended sentence and cumulatively imposed six months’ jail for his new offending.
He backdated the 10 months’ jail to July 27, suspended five months for 18 months upon release and placed Jago on an 18-month probation order.
Mr Marron said he observed Jago to be in a ‘‘highly agitated state’’ during his lengthy hearing on the afternoon of October 13.
He said Jago told police he had taken a lot of ice that day because he knew he was going to jail, which was more than his usual daily limit of two to three points.
‘‘That did not surprise me because ... you have a very well-established problem with drugs,’’ Mr Marron said.
‘‘It’s of concern that after you ran off from the court you were then found in Formby Road and got into your brother’s vehicle.’’
Mr Marron said witnesses heard Jago make threats of violence against his brother, including threats to stab and punch him.
He said it was to the credit of Jago’s brother that he had attended court to express his concern.
Mr Marron acknowledged Jago’s other offences, which included shoplifting, burglary, stealing, drug offences and three counts of having unlawfully brought unauthorised articles into a prison.
He said Jago cut a cable in a Telstra shop to steal a mobile phone and when police searched Jago they also found cannabis, 11 small LSD tablets and three cigarettes in his pants.
