Canberra man who allegedly swapped seats with passenger while driving granted bail

A man who allegedly attempted to avoid police arrest by driving over a median strip and swapping seats with the passenger of a truck while it was in motion has been granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court.

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While driving on Gungahlin Drive in Canberra’s north, police allege the man swapped seats with a female passenger.   (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

The court heard the 41-year-old man from Nicholls in Canberra’s north was already on bail for previous driving offences when police saw him behind the wheel on Friday, December 31.

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Police documents tendered to the court today alleged that when police attempted to pull the man over, the defendant mouthed “f—-“, smacked his forehead and nodded.

The man allegedly stopped the truck he was driving on the median strip of Gungahlin Drive for police, before accelerating over it, and proceeding to drive down the other side of the road.

Police allege the man then swapped seats with a female passenger while driving.

When the vehicle eventually stopped, the man was arrested and charged with driving with a prescribed drug in his system, being an unlicensed driver, failing to stop for police, and another charge relating to his bail conditions.

The court heard the man was a month behind on rent and needed shoulder surgery to get his business back on track.

Magistrate Glenn Theakston granted him bail on the condition that he not drive or be in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle, nor have the keys to a vehicle.

He warned the man that, should he re-offend, he would “be re-arrested very, very quickly”.

“This involves the court engaging in a level of trust with you,” Magistrate Theakston said.

The man is next due to face court over the charges on August 17.