A prison escapee who led police on a wild chase has been sentenced to another 18 months in jail for his part in the crime spree.
Jared Wayne Collard, 20, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday to several charges including escaping custody, reckless driving, stealing motor vehicles and aggravated burglary.
Collard and fellow inmate Du-Waine Chavez Bailey Brown had been serving sentences at the Wandoo Reintegration Facility when they walked away from community work in Alfred Cove in December.
They stole a Kia hatchback and drove to Ballajura where they robbed a house and stole a Nissan coupe.
The pair were on the run for more than a day and were involved in a police pursuit before they dumped the stolen car in bush in Middle Swan. Collard was recaptured in Midland the next day.
Magistrate Gregory Smith said Collard had a "horrendous" criminal record and had served the best part of eight years in jail for multiple car theft, burglaries and reckless driving convictions.
Magistrate Smith said leading police on a chase was an "extremely serious" offence.
Of particular concern was that he had been involved in a pursuit, running red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and putting other drivers at risk, he said.
"Collard put everybody's lives at risk, not just himself but police and innocent road users."
In sentencing, Magistrate Smith told Collard he could have expected a more significant term of imprisonment if not for another magistrate sentencing Brown to a jail term concurrent with a sentence he was already serving.
"I find that outcome to be extremely surprising and not one that I agree with," he told the court.
Collard was also sentenced to permanent disqualification from driving for the reckless driving charge and was fined $100 for stealing a set of keys.
Magistrate Smith said he hoped Collard could turn the tide on his life of crime.
"I wonder whether you will ever change your ways," he said. "I hope you do."
