A 36-year-old man who was riding a stolen Yamaha motorcycle led police on a chase through East Launceston, a hearing in the Launceston Magistrates Court was told.
Oliver William Clark, who listened to the hearing via telephone after undergoing a COVID-19 test, pleaded not guilty to evading police about 2.15am on April 6 last year.
He told police on the night of the incident that he thought he was being chased by the person from whom he had stolen the motorcycle.
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He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of property namely a Yamaha trail bike and helmet worth $7900.
Constable Thomas Kenny said police undertook a U-turn in High street after they saw the motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction.
He said he activated emergency lights and briefly the siren but the motorcycle did not pull over.
Police followed the bike down Ann Street, Abbott Street, Claremont Street, Elphin Road and Cypress Street before they found it on the side of the road.
Constable Kenny said Mr Clark had decamped and was trying to climb the gate into the Newstead College when police called him to stop.
He said that the police had been about 20-30 metres behind the motorcycle.
Defence counsel Alan Hensley cross-examined Constable Kenny about a statutory declaration he made about the incident in which he neglected to mention that he had turned on the siren.
"It was a mistake on my behalf that I did not say that I turned on the siren," Constable Kenny said.
Mr Hensley also cross-examined Constable Georgia McHugh about her statutory declaration which also failed to mention the siren.
Constable McHugh denied a suggestion from Mr Hensley that she had confused what normally happened with what happened on January 6, 2020.
"That incorrect," she said.
Mr Hensley said there was no dispute that Mr Clark was riding the motorcycle and there was no argument that police lights were turned on.
"The factual argument is whether the sirens were turned on, Mr Clark was unaware that police were chasing him," he said.
Magistrate Ken Stanton adjourned that case until March 11 at 2.15 so that Mr Clark could give evidence in person.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
