A NOWRA man who led police on a high speed chase through South Nowra in March last year has been jailed for three years.
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Michael Wayne Jarrett, 27, pleaded guilty to the police pursuit and driving while disqualified in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.
The court heard Jarrett was seen driving a Holden Commodore by police in Old Southern Road at South Nowra just before 5pm on March 26, 2016.
Officers attempted to stop Jarrett for a random breath test but despite slowing slightly he continued to drive his vehicle, jabbing the brakes before eventually pulling over.
As officers approached the vehicle it accelerated harshly, with police starting a pursuit.
While the chase might have only lasted a couple of minutes it had the catastrophic potential as Jarrett reached speeds of up to 130km/h in a 60 zone.
Police said as the vehicle slowed while approaching the intersection of Quinns Lane a male passenger was seen jumping from the car while it was still moving.
The chase continued to the Princes Highway where traffic at the roundabout blocked Jarrett’s escape.
Court papers said he did a U-turn, travelled back towards police along Quinns Lane, again reaching 130km/h.
Police said Jarrett ignored the stop sign at Old Southern Road, travelling at 120km/h before turning into Hillcrest Avenue, where he overtook two vehicles on the inside verge.
He then turned into Holloway Road and Park Road with police terminating the chase.
The car was last seen turning into Clipper Road.
Officers conducted patrols of the area and residents directed them to a property in Gascoyne Way where the vehicle had been abandoned.
Officers attended a property around 100m away in Bateman Close and found Jarrett trying to hide under a house.
Jarrett also pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an incident in Nowra on October 9 last year in which he allegedly assaulted a woman, with whom he was in a relationship.
The court heard Jarrett was a regular ice user and the relationship had had a history of domestic violence. In the past he had attempted to strangle the woman and placed a pillow over her head.
Court papers said between 4pm and 9pm the woman awoke after being asleep all day to find Jarrett yelling and mumbling.
He allegedly pushed her to the ground, stood over her and punched and slapped her around her legs, back and head.
The woman claimed the attack continued for between three to five minutes.
Jarrett then allegedly picked the woman up by the hair and told her to “get in the shower”.
The victim said she complied with Jarrett’s demands as he was in an aggressive mood.
He placed the woman in a cold shower which he said “was all she deserved”.
Magistrate Fleming found Jarrett guilty and sentenced him to an aggregate three-year jail term with a non-parole period of 18 months.
He was also disqualified from driving for three years.
Magistrate Fleming ordered he undertake a full-time rehabilitation program on his release.