A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison after leading police on a dangerous high-speed pursuit through residential areas of northern Tasmania while banned from driving.
Jackson Philip Hill-Bissett was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment in the Supreme Court of Tasmania after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and evading police in aggravated circumstances.
The incident unfolded on January 14 when police spotted Hill-Bissett driving an unregistered vehicle in Deloraine, despite strict bail conditions prohibiting him from getting behind the wheel.
When officers approached, Hill-Bissett reversed at high speed, leaving 50-metre rubber burn marks on the road before fleeing through residential streets at speeds reaching 120km/h in 60km/h zones.
The pursuit continued for 10-15 minutes across 16 kilometres, during which Hill-Bissett drove the wrong way around a roundabout, nearly collided head-on with oncoming traffic, and continued driving even after his rear tyre blew out.
The incident ended when Hill-Bissett crashed through a locked farm gate, drove across private property and abandoned his vehicle in a paddock before hiding in nearby bushes.
Justice Tamara Jago said Hill-Bissett’s driving put members of the public and police at serious risk.
“Anyone thinking of driving a vehicle in this manner must realise the potential for serious injury and death to others and must appreciate that it is simply unacceptable and such behaviour will inevitably incur severe punishment,” Justice Jago said during sentencing.
The court heard Hill-Bissett developed a methamphetamine addiction following his father’s death about 10 years ago.
While he had successfully completed a drug treatment program in 2021, he relapsed after reconnecting with former associates.
Hill-Bissett was deemed unsuitable for a court-mandated drug diversion program due to lacking appropriate housing.
He received an additional two months for evading police and was disqualified from driving for three years from his release date.
He will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
Hill-Bissett has been in custody since his arrest in January.
