Three Dunedin teenagers have admitted a raft of charges
following a 46km police pursuit between the city and Waihola
last weekend. Codie John Tobin (17), unemployed, pleaded
guilty before Judge Alistair Garland in the Dunedin District
Court yesterday.
Jake James Devereux (19), unemployed, and Jesse Kelly, (17),
entered their pleas on Thursday.
Tobin, Devereux and two younger teenage boys (also of Dunedin
and being dealt with through youth court) are charged with
unlawfully taking a $40,000 Hilux vehicle, and stealing a
wallet and contents valued at $100 from another vehicle, on
February 9.
Tobin is also charged with driving in a manner which might
have been dangerous to the public, and failing to stop for
police.
Kelly is charged with unlawfully getting into the Hilux.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ross Hutton said Tobin, Devereux and the
two younger boys were walking around St Clair attempting to
open vehicle doors, early last Saturday.
Finding an Isuzu vehicle unlocked, they removed a wallet and
contents valued at $100 and kept walking.
Gaining access to a $40,000 Hilux on Coughtrey St, they found
a spare ignition key in the centre console.
Tobin started the vehicle. The three others got in. Tobin
then drove to Kelly's address, picked him up, and began a
joyride. About 2.50am, on Cumberland St North, police saw the
vehicle being driven with its headlights off.
Signalled to stop by the patrol car's red and blue flashing
lights and siren, Tobin accelerated away, turned on to Albany
St and drove through two sets of red traffic lights.
Continuing through the city towards Kaikorai Valley, he
reached speeds up to 120kmh in a 50kmh zone. Driving through
Green Island and on to Brighton Rd, he was cutting corners
and crossing the centre line.
He travelled at speeds up to 135kmh where the limit was
100kmh, and in places drove completely on the wrong side of
solid yellow centre lines. During the pursuit, the rear
passengers were baiting police by giving them ''the
fingers''.
The pursuit covered 46km and ended at Finlaysons Rd, Waihola,
when the tyres of the Hilux were deflated by police road
spikes. The judge remanded Tobin, Devereux and Kelly for
sentence on April 9.
