Driver caught speeding at 160km/h in Shepparton

Colin Charles, 42, formerly of the Shepparton area but now from Portland, pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving while pursued by police, failing to stop on police direction, driving while disqualified, two counts of driving unlicensed, three counts of using an unregistered vehicle, refusing a drug test and two counts of fraudulently using number plates.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamines, committing an indictable offence while on bail and failing to answer bail.

Prosecutor Sergeant Sean Walsh said Charles drove off fast when he was spotted by police on River Rd in Kialla, driving a car with false number plates on December 15 last year.

He failed to stop when police activated their lights.

Police again spotted him driving on Benalla Rd, Shepparton, and activated their lights and sirens as they attempted to catch up to him.

The court was told Charles drove off fast and turned the car’s headlights off as he turned into Archer St.

The Police Air Wing continued to track him as he drove at dangerous speeds through the town, including at 160km/h on Doyles Rd.

He eventually stopped at a Shepparton East property, where police found him hiding behind a shed.

The vehicle he had been driving was unregistered and had false number plates, and he was unlicensed.

Charles also refused to undergo a drug test at the police station.

In a police interview, Charles said “what he had done was very dangerous and that he only did what he did because of previous trauma”, Sgt Walsh said.

Charles’ defence solicitor told the court her client had a mild intellectual disability, as well as a likely acquired brain injury from prolonged methamphetamine and amphetamine use.

As such, she said he was “unable to make calm and rational choices”.

She also told of an upbringing that saw him subjected to physical abuse.

The defence solicitor said while Charles had served “multiple terms” in prison, his life had “stabilised” since moving to Portland in early 2023, and he had successfully completed three community corrections orders given by the courts while there.

However, she said when Charles visited family in the Shepparton area, he “falls into old patterns with old associates” and relapsed into drug use.

Since being in prison on remand awaiting this matter, Charles’ partner has given birth to their child.

The defence solicitor said her client had been found suitable to take part in the Court Integrated Series Program, and that a Justice Plan could be set for him, and asked that he be released on a deferred sentence until the Justice Plan could be drawn up.

“When he’s in the Portland he does not pose the same risk as he does in the Shepparton area,” the defence said.

Magistrate Mark Sabljak, however, disagreed with releasing him immediately while awaiting final sentence, saying that the 79 days he had served already in pre-sentence detention was “not enough”.

“That driving in the local area at those speeds is horrendous,” he said.

“It’s by the grace of God that he didn’t kill someone or himself.

“Those speeds are enormous.

“One-hundred and sixty (in a 100km/h zone) – there is no room for error.”

Mr Sabljak said a deferral of sentence at this stage was not appropriate.

“I can’t just hope for the best,” he said.

“I need to make sure the community is protected.”

Charles will return to court in May after a Justice Plan has been completed.

In the meantime, he was disqualified from driving for four years.