A 31-year-old Bunbury man who has already lost his drivers licence for life has been sent to prison over a high-speed chase in July.
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Matthew James Tadewaldt-Wren, 31, sped off from an unmarked police car conducting a random traffic stop on Knight Street, Withers on July 24.
A short pursuit ended minutes later when Tadewaldt-Wren’s car became airborne for 70 metres across Bussell Highway in excess of 100 kilometres an hour.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Brian McCormack told Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday, officers arrested Tadewaldt-Wren while he was still behind the wheel and a search of the car found an unlicensed pistol, a magazine without bullets and a taser hidden in the lining of the passenger door.
Tadewaldt-Wren pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a direction to stop, having no authority to drive, reckless driving to escape pursuit, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing an unlicensed firearm.
He also pleaded guilty to driving a motorcycle on Simmons Street, Bunbury on Wednesday, August 24.
Defence lawyer Ian McFarlane said given his client was suspended from driving for life in February 2015, he should know a lot better.
Magistrate Brian Mahon said he was very disappointed to hear Tadewaldt-Wren bolted from police in a high-powered vehicle as he has done in the past.
“An airborne vehicle is in the luck of the gods as to the damage it can do and this is very frustrating,” he said.
“If you continue to act in this way you will likely kill yourself or someone else.”Magistrate Mahon said Tadewaldt-Wren’s record was very poor and something he should be ashamed of.
He also told Tadewaldt-Wren that as a coroner for the South West, it is his job to sign off on cases where people are killed in road traffic crashes
“You are too old for all of this and if you don’t change your behaviour you may not live to be much older.”
Tadewaldt-Wren was sentenced to a total of 15 months prison and fined $1500 for the weapons charges.