A NORTH Albury teenager with a history of traffic offences told police the only reason they got close to him during a pursuit was because his trail bike was “playing up”.
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Police chased the youth, 17, on Wednesday night when the teen, who was with another rider, managed to escape through a park on his unregistered trail bike.
But a helpful motorist provided police with information and the youth was found at a house in Sunshine Court at Lavington.
“You wouldn’t have got close to me if my bike wasn’t playing up,” he told police.
He appeared in Albury Children’s Court yesterday on charges of failing to stop in a police pursuit, having never held a licence, failing to provide information leading to a driver’s identification and using an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.
A marked highway patrol vehicle was patrolling Kentucky Avenue at Lavington about 5.27pm following frequent recent complaints about trail bikes in the street.
When the officer reached the intersection of Cheyenne Drive, he saw two riders on unregistered trail bikes.
Police lights and sirens were activated and a pursuit began.
Police told the court one rider accelerated away from the other and rode into park land at the southern end of Kentucky Avenue.
The youth was pursued from Kentucky Avenue to Balston Street, Sutherland Street and Clarence Street before he entered parkland and the pursuit was terminated.
The pursuit covered a distance of one kilometre and the youth had ridden close to several pedestrians near cars.
When asked by police about the identity of the other rider, the youth claimed he had only just met him and did not know him.
Police prosecutor Sgt Shannon Lewis yesterday opposed bail. She said the youth was on parole and had a long history of traffic offences.
She said the youth should remain in custody for the protection of the community.
Solicitor James Sloan said the youth had completed a control order in October, had a mild intellectual disability and had been provided with Department of Housing accommodation.
Mr Sloan said the youth had acted improperly when police approached him.
“It is probably his intellectual capacity which has led him into trouble in the past as it has now,” Mr Sloan said.
Court registrar Wendy Howard said when refusing bail that the youth’s record was filled with traffic offences.
He will reappear before magistrate Tony Murray on a bail application.
