A man who drove at police after stealing a car from Melton West has been sentenced to spend almost three years in prison.
Elvis Lim was recently sentenced in the County Court after pleading guilty to car theft, negligent driving during police pursuit and aggravated intentional exposure of police member to risk by driving, as well as driving whilst unlicenced and committing an indictable offence on bail.
The court heard Lim, 31, had a lengthy criminal history by the time of the offending while on bail in October last year.
He stole the car in the early hours of October 21 at a unit in Melton South before being spotted by police later that morning driving erratically, weaving in and out of traffic and causing other road users to take evasive action.
Two police cars with two officers in each took up a position trying to block his path, with one officer about to get out so as to place ‘stop sticks’ on the road.
The court heard Lim continued to drive directly towards them, swerving onto the footpath at the last moment as the four officers braced for impact.
A pursuit commenced, with a number of police vehicles chasing Lim until he ran out of petrol and was arrested.
In sentencing Lim, Judge Michael Tinney said he had clearly placed the police officers at risk.
“They were just doing their job, one that is difficult enough at the best of times,” he said.
“They were trying to arrest an offender. That was their duty. As they did so, they braced for impact. No doubt it was an alarming moment in the course of that shift.”
Lim was sentenced to two years and 10 months’ imprisonment, with a 20-month non-parole period, minus the 310 days he has already served pre-sentencing.
Benjamin Millar
