by Cam Lucadou-Wells
An unlicensed teenager in a stolen Hilux ran multiple red lights and endangered oncoming traffic as he fled from police in Clayton, Noble Park North, Dandenong and Doveton, a court has heard.
Bob Jal, now 19, of Doveton, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to a 37-hour crime spree in early June 2023.
The spate included home burglaries in Brighton and Malvern East, stealing four expensive cars, a petrol drive-off as well as dangerous driving while pursued by police.
Jal had said he needed the money for his cannabis and meth habit. He was being paid up to $1500 for a stolen car.
He was also in breach of his night curfew at the time, after only being released on bail seven days earlier.
Jal’s attempted driving escape started with running a red light when police spotted him in a stolen Hilux on Princes Highway Clayton about 12.30pm on 6 June 2023.
In total he ran seven red lights, crossed at least five solid white lines onto the wrong side of the road and was estimated to speed up to 120 km/h on Princes Highway – including in 60 km/h zones.
He also reached 100 km/h in Clow Street, Dandenong – a 60 km/ zone – as well as 80 km/h in a residential zone.
“You put yourself, emergency services personnel and multiple other road users at risk,” sentencing judge Carolene Gwynn said on 22 May.
“At 18 years of ago and unlicensed, you do not present with driving skills.
“It’s more by good fortune than by good management that you didn’t cause greater harm.”
During several of his overtaking manoeuvres, oncoming drivers had to take evasive action to avoid head-on collisions with him on Jacksons Road and Elonera Road.
Jal took evasive action himself to avoid vehicles as he ran a red light at the intersection of Princes Highway and Gladstone Road.
At the corner of James Street and Princes Highway Jal tried to get in the driver’s side of a Corolla stopped at the lights.
As the driver struggled to prevent him getting in, the car drifted into the intersection and cut off vehicles entering from James Street. Jal got back into the Hilux and drove on.
At 12.55pm Jal overtook a Toyota Yaris on Clow Street, near Besley Street. Two oncoming drivers veered to avoid him and crashed into the Yaris.
Jal continued east on Clow Street until he got home in Doveton. Police found him there sweating profusely in a change of clothes.
He had been linked to a spate of aggravated burglaries and attempts in the previous two nights.
A $75,000 Land Rover and a Range Rover, both stolen during home burglaries, were not recovered.
A stolen $40,000 Suburu Outback was later found torched in Maribyrnong.
Jal seemed to have “limited insight” on the impact on others, with an “extensive” and “unenviable” criminal history.
But Jal was still young, and there was public interest in steering him away from a life of crime, Judge Gwynn said.
He was diagnosed with schizophrenia as well as borderline IQ, substance use disorder and possible ADHD.
A report found Jal was highly impressionable to influence from adult prisoners.
Judge Gwynn opted for a term of two years and two months in youth justice centre detention.
It included 343 days already served in remand in an adult prison.
