Three Dunedin teenagers have admitted a raft of charges following a 46km police pursuit between the city and Waihola last weekend. Codie John Tobin (17), unemployed, pleaded guilty before Judge Alistair Garland in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
Jake James Devereux (19), unemployed, and Jesse Kelly, (17), entered their pleas on Thursday.
Tobin, Devereux and two younger teenage boys (also of Dunedin and being dealt with through youth court) are charged with unlawfully taking a $40,000 Hilux vehicle, and stealing a wallet and contents valued at $100 from another vehicle, on February 9.
Tobin is also charged with driving in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public, and failing to stop for police.
Kelly is charged with unlawfully getting into the Hilux.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ross Hutton said Tobin, Devereux and the two younger boys were walking around St Clair attempting to open vehicle doors, early last Saturday.
Finding an Isuzu vehicle unlocked, they removed a wallet and contents valued at $100 and kept walking.
Gaining access to a $40,000 Hilux on Coughtrey St, they found a spare ignition key in the centre console.
Tobin started the vehicle. The three others got in. Tobin then drove to Kelly's address, picked him up, and began a joyride. About 2.50am, on Cumberland St North, police saw the vehicle being driven with its headlights off.
Signalled to stop by the patrol car's red and blue flashing lights and siren, Tobin accelerated away, turned on to Albany St and drove through two sets of red traffic lights. Continuing through the city towards Kaikorai Valley, he reached speeds up to 120kmh in a 50kmh zone. Driving through Green Island and on to Brighton Rd, he was cutting corners and crossing the centre line.
He travelled at speeds up to 135kmh where the limit was 100kmh, and in places drove completely on the wrong side of solid yellow centre lines. During the pursuit, the rear passengers were baiting police by giving them ''the fingers''.
The pursuit covered 46km and ended at Finlaysons Rd, Waihola, when the tyres of the Hilux were deflated by police road spikes. The judge remanded Tobin, Devereux and Kelly for sentence on April 9.
