A Dunedin man who rammed a police car and was bitten by a police dog after months on the run has been jailed for nearly three years.
Robert Paul Laxon (36) appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning having admitted two charges of unlawfully taking a vehicle, burglary, attempted burglary, reckless driving and failing to stop for police.
After two break ins on April 10 last year, the defendant failed to appear in court.
It resulted in police releasing a photo of Laxon and urging the public to come forward with any information of his whereabouts.
Matters came to a head on September 2 when police spotted the man driving a stolen Holden Astra through Ravensbourne.
Laxon failed to stop for police and when cornered in Sawyers Bay, he drove at the pursuing vehicles, causing damage to both his and their car.
The defendant – who was still aided by a crutch in the dock today – abandoned the un-driveable Holden in Currie St and fled on foot.
A dog unit quickly tracked him down and police confirmed Laxon sustained a bite during the incident.
Defence counsel Debbie Henderson accepted her client's unenviable criminal record which featured 30 burglaries.
In a letter to the court, the defendant said he was under the influence of sedatives at the time of last year's offending.
Laxon accepted his actions during the police chase were reckless and that he was a risk to the public, Ms Henderson said, but he believed the police car was “weaving towards him” at the time of the collision.
Judge Phillips did not accept that explanation and labelled the man a “recidivist burglar”.
Despite Laxon's offer to attend restorative justice, the judge did not believe he was remorseful for his crimes.
At the same time he did not want to impose a “crushing sentence” on Laxon.
Judge Phillips jailed him for two years 10 months and banned him from driving for 18 months.
He ordered Laxon pay reparation of more than $5000 but acknowledged it was unlikely the sums would ever be paid.
