A 36-year-old man who triggered a police pursuit across Dubbo and deliberately rammed a police car is behind bars.
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Thomas Edward Nolan, of Columbia Drive in Dubbo, was spotted driving in an erratic matter along Thompson Street in May last year, when police attempted to stop him for a breath test.
Court documents revealed Nolan's drivers licence had expired in 2014, and when he failed to stop at the request of police at 3.30pm in the afternoon he began travelling through a number of streets in Dubbo.
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At one point he was travelling down Brisbane Street and made no attempt to slow or give way to oncoming traffic.
During the purist Nolan reached a speeds of 80km/h in 50km/h residential areas.
At one point Nolan was travelling along Erskine Street and entered the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane when he exited and began driving on the wrong side of the road, forcing a number of vehicles to pull over to prevent a collision.
When he entered Apollo Estate, Nolan began a cat and mouse chase travelling through number of vacant housing blocks to numerous roads.
When travelling along Aldrin Avenue however Nolan's vehicle suffered mechanical issues coming to a stop. As police exited their vehicle to apprehend Nolan, he was able to restart his car and continued to travel at 10km/h.
As he entered Braun Avenue, Nolan's car once again suffered mechanical issues and a blown tyre. Police again attempted to arrest him, however Nolan managed to start his car again, and rammed it into the rear of a marked police vehicle.
According to court documents the police vehicle sustained extensive damage that made it unable to be used for duties.
Nolan fled the scene and an on-foot pursuit began. However as Nolan attempted to jump a backyard fence, with the assistance of further police he was successfully arrested.
While Nolan produced a negative breath test, police searched his vehicle and located 13.8 grams of MDMA in the front drivers door.
At Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, Nolan pleaded guilty to one count of failing to stop initiating a dangerous police pursuit and one count of using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention.
The court heard Nolan was addicted to drugs, however since April had abstained from using ice, and was slowly reducing his intake of cannabis.
"He tells me he was quite blank during these events," Nolan's defence lawyer told the court.
A sentencing assessment report found Nolan was at a medium to high risk of re-offending.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said his conduct endangered his life and the lives of other road users, and full time imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence.
"You might shake your head at the risk you put yourself and other road users in," Magistrate Wilson said.
"It could have ended in disaster, it's just stupidity."
Nolan was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He will be eligible for parole in September 2021.