Darryle Tailford, 21, appeared in court via audio visual link from Bathurst jail to face charges of driving a motor vehicle while disqualified (second offence), stating a false name and address to police, driving recklessly during a police pursuit, and entering enclosed lands after he ran from the scene when his vehicle was stopped.

At the time of the offence Tailford had only been in Orange for a few weeks. Of no fixed address, he was  sleeping on friends and acquaintances’ couches and floors.

Tailford was already on a section nine bond from the courts when he was arrested by police following the short pursuit at 4.15am on December 4 last year. As he drove to score a hit of the drug ice, he had two passengers in his vehicle which reached speeds estimated by police to be between 100km/h and 120km/h.

His Aboriginal Legal Aid solicitor Mina Aresh told the court her client had a “rough” upbringing and was hooked on the drug cannabis by the time he was 12 years old.

She asked the court to consider a sentence that involved the opportunity for her client to enter The Glen rehabilitation facility so he could address his drug issues.

“The police pursuit was a relatively short distance - just 600 metres,”  Ms Aresh said.

Ms Aresh told magistrate Terry Lucas the support of her client’s mother, aunt and pregnant girlfriend, who were all in court, would sustain her client and help him stay on track if he was released from jail.

She also offered an explanation to the court as to why her client had wasted police time and given different versions of the event.

“He was scared and he panicked,” she said.

Sentencing Tailford to 18 months in jail with a non-parole period of 12 months, Mr Lucas said he had no regard for the safety of the two passengers in the vehicle or any traffic on the road at the time.