MAITLAND LOCAL COURT
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High on ice, a 19-year-old man who led police on a chase through several Maitland suburbs shortly after midnight on Friday was eventually stopped with the use of road spikes.
Police stopped Matthew James Ryan, of Largs Avenue, Largs, in Kurri Kurri about 12.20am on Saturday.
As the officer got out of his vehicle, Ryan’s Holden sedan sped off and continued to accelerate well in excess of the sign-posted 50km/h.
He reached speeds of 96km/h through streets as the pursuit continued through Heddon Greta and into Maitland.
It was about this time police were notified that Ryan contacted triple-0 and told the operator he was on the drug ice and was nervous about police pursuing him.
He said he had two passengers in the car, who were later identified as being a 15- and 16-year-old girl.
Ryan drove through a red light at the intersection of Ken Tubman Drive and High Street, and was followed to Largs where he drove through several streets and crossed onto the wrong side of the road when turning corners.
He eventually drove over road spikes police had laid on Paterson Road.
The car tyres began to disintegrate along High Street, where Ryan stopped the car.
Police discovered Ryan had never held a driver’s licence and had previously been convicted of unlicensed driving.
Ryan was refused bail in Maitland Local Court on Saturday and returned to court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to four charges of driving never licensed, reckless driving, police pursuit and possession of a prohibited weapon.
During a brief mention of the matter, Ryan’s solicitor said his client’s offences stemmed from an ice addiction.
“His quite horrendous prior record commenced only in 2012 – the year when he fell in love with a drug called ice,” said Ryan’s solicitor, who did not make an application for bail on behalf of his client.
Ryan also pleaded guilty to an unrelated break and enter offence.
The matters were adjourned to June 16 when it is expected he will be sentenced.