A magistrate has described the actions of a man who rode a motorbike at more than 130km/h through Shepparton streets while being chased by police as a “recipe for disaster”.
Mark Young, 38, of Mooroopna, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to charges including dangerous driving while pursued by police, drug driving, unlicensed driving and using an unregistered vehicle.
The court heard police first spotted Young riding a black Kawasaki motorbike on Regent St at 12.35am on September 27, 2020.
A police check on the bike’s registration found that it had expired in April 2018, so police turned on their lights and sirens as the motorbike was ridden along Hawdon St.
Young failed to stop and accelerated away from police into Andrew Fairley Ave and Old Dookie Rd.
The court heard the police airwing then kept watch and clocked Young riding at more than 130km/h in the 60km/h zone in Wheeler St and New Dookie Rd.
He also went through a red light at the intersection of Balaclava Rd and the Goulburn Valley Hwy, before riding at more than 130km/h in Regent St.
After turning back on to Balaclava Rd, Young rode on the wrong side of the road through the roundabout at the intersection with The Boulevard before continuing on the wrong side of the road.
Young continued to ride along north Shepparton streets before eventually hiding his motorbike in a backyard and jumping a fence and hiding behind a caravan, where police arrested him.
After being drug tested at the police station it was also found he had methamphetamines in his system.
In a police interview, Young said he knew police were trying to stop him but he “panicked and took off”.
He also told police he had bought the motorbike about a year earlier and knew it was not registered.
Young was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order, which will include 100 hours of community work.
Up to 30 hours of treatment for drug abuse, offending behaviour and mental health programs can count towards the community work time.
In sentencing Young, magistrate Ian Watkins berated him for his behaviour.
“What possessed you to ride your motorbike the way you did beggars belief,” Mr Watkins said.
“To travel along residential streets at that speed, with methamphetamines in your system and you didn’t have a licence. It was a recipe for disaster.
“There is no reason you should jeopardise other road users and police with that folly.”