A Cooks Gap man was sentenced in Mudgee Local Court on Wednesday for two incidents, both involving dangerous driving in front of police, one while in possession of an explosive device.
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Todd William Lasham of Ridge Road was placed on a seven-month Intensive Correction Order, disqualified for 12 months, and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service work.
According to the police facts submitted to the court, about 11.35am on Friday, December 13, 2019, police were patrolling Wilbertree Road, Mudgee, when they saw a car leave a property. They observed the car speeding at an estimated 180km/h towards the Castlereagh Highway and crossing onto the incorrect side of the road at a bend.
The car headed onto Saleyards Lane, crossing onto the wrong side of the road again, before it was stopped by police. A check revealed that the car's registration had been cancelled and the driver, Lasham, admitted to being unlicensed.
Officers conducted a search and a knife was found in the 32-year-old's pocket. In his backpack they discovered a cylindrical item that he told police was a "sparkler bomb".
On advice from the Bomb Disposal Unit, the officers pulled the item apart. Inside the foil wrapping were; six CO2 canisters; matches; and approximately 35g of gunpowder.
According to the police facts submitted to the court, on the morning of Thursday, March 12, 2020, police saw a car known to have been used by Lasham parked in the Gulgong CBD. They'd also seen Lasham in the vicinity.
About 11.10am they noticed Lasham driving the car near the intersection of Bunderra and Yaraandoo Streets. When they activated their lights Lasham accelerated away and turned onto Gossage Road.
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Police followed, observing the car travel above the 50km/h speed limit and almost hit a tractor slashing grass by the side of the road, before they lost sight of it. Lasham hadn't held a valid driver's licence for more than five years, meaning he was catergorised and charged as a "never licensed person".
On Wednesday, May 6, 2020, he was convicted of the December matters in his absence and a warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear in Mudgee Local Court. He was sentenced for the charges of unlicensed driving in an unregistered vehicle and having a knife in a public place.
An additional charge was laid for failing to appear in accordance with his bail. Police received information that Lasham was at Mudgee's Aldi supermarket on Tuesday, May 12, and was subsequently arrested.
Cooks Gap man sentenced for dangerous, unlicensed driving and explosive charges
On Wednesday he appeared in Mudgee Local Court via Audio-Visual Link, having been refused bail since June for unrelated incidents. Where he was sentenced for the December driving and explosive charges, the March driving offences, and the bail charge.
His Legal Aid solicitor, Jessica Kitch, told the court her client had spent 69 days in custody during which time he had responded positively to treatment and programs. She said his family circumstances were such that he had "motivation" to return to the community.
Magistrate David Day said "all matters cross the custody threshold". And imposed a sentence in the form of an Intensive Correction Order, which although custodial will be served outside of prison.
Magistrate Day noted that while both incidents contained dangerous, unlicensed driving, the "improvised explosive is the most serious".
"Gunpowder plus CO2 canisters, that's a 'sparkler bomb'?" he asked. "... gunpowder is very unstable and he's driving around with it".