A 27-year-old man was "being a nuisance" when he removed three cards from a police officer's wallet while in custody for breath analysis at the Launceston Police Station, a magistrate heard.
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Lachlan John Newett, now of Campbell Town, pleaded guilty to a count of stealing, evading police at a time when he did not have a driver's licence, exceeding 0.05, using an unregistered motor vehicle and un-licenced driving in June 2020.
Police prosecutor Andrew Gillard said Newett was driving on Prossers Forest Road when police activated lights and sirens.
He did not stop, but drove into the last driveway on the road.
Police got out of their vehicle, but Newett reversed out of the driveway and drove off.
He was located a couple of hours later as a passenger in a vehicle and blew 0.087.
He received an excessive drink driver notice at the time because of prior offences and a six month disqualification.
While at the police station he removed the cards from Constable Bradley Collins' wallet.
"What's the explanation for taking the cards from the officer's wallet?," Magistrate Sharon Cure asked defence counsel Olivia Jenkins.
"It was an idiotic mistake. My instructions are that he was just being a nuisance," she said.
Ms Jenkins said Newett had been struggling with health problems and illicit drugs at the time, but had since begun working on a farm.
She said he panicked when he saw police and drove away.
"It was an out of character offence," she said.
Ms Cure said it was not a case where she would impose a jail sentence despite the seriousness of evading police.
The court heard he had a prior conviction for drink driving in 2015.
"It is good news that he has got a job on a farm and gone to live in a small community," she said.
"Be sure you don't panic again when police approach you," Ms Cure said.
Newett was fined a total of $2000.
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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.
