A Kings Meadows man who tried to run from police after being approached at the Commercial Hotel in April will remain behind bars until the end of the year.
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Harley James Wilmot on Monday received a seven-month prison sentence at the Launceston Magistrates Court relating to a series of offences he committed between April and July this year after spending most of 2020 in custody.
Wilmot appeared stone-faced in front of Magistrate Sharon Cure as she delivered the penalty, which was backdated to June 10, the date he was taken into custody.
The court heard Wilmot breached bail several times, resisted arrest on multiple occasions, played part in stealing a $66,000 Toyota HiLux and was busted with a flick-knife when at the Mersh, along with other drug and driving offences.
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Police prosecutor Andrew Gillard detailed the various offences, including the resist of arrest at the Commercial Hotel when Wilmot was also found with four small bags of a crystal substance.
Wilmot upon arrest told police the flick-knife was for his personal protection, and the substance was "cutters" as opposed to an illicit substance.
Wilmot's defence attorney Fran McCracken told the court when he resisted arrest on another occasion, the 22-year-old was attending the Launceston Police Station under his bail conditions.
She said the fact he was arrested presented as "unusual" to her.
"[It was a] very unusual case," she said.
"Police were using a provision of the bail Act [to arrest Wilmot] I can say I've never seen used before."
But Ms Cure said just because the provision was unusual, resisting arrest in a violent way was not warranted.
"[It] doesn't justify needing to violently arrest [Wilmot]," she said.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want me to see the video [of the arrest]," Ms Cure said to Ms McCracken.
The court heard the Toyota HiLux was stolen on April 7 from out the front of a home in Newnham when the owner left the keys in the ignition.
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Mr Gillard said the car was later involved in an evade at Waverley before being located in Ravenswood.
He said when the car was forensically examined, Wilmot's DNA was found on the steering wheel.
The fact his DNA was found on the steering wheel presented Ms Cure with a decision to make: did that mean Wilmot was driving or just in the car?
The point proved important because of other driving-related offences Wilmot was appearing over, and the fact he had a suspended sentence at the time of the accusation.
"Isn't his DNA on the steering wheel?" Ms Cure asked.
"I can put him in the driver's seat, but I can't be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt he drove it."
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Ms Cure ruled to hand down a global sentence of seven months to Wilmot, which involved six months longer for the suspension of his licence and strict bail conditions.
She said Wilmot needed to consider the importance of staying off the road when he was released from prison, "or he'll expect to find himself back in jail".
The court earlier heard Wilmot had started a new relationship with a woman not known by the court who would provide his surety.
A supporter of Wilmot's who sat in on the hearing was in tears as Ms Cure handed down the sentence.