![The man was sentenced in Tamworth court for a police pursuit. File picture The man was sentenced in Tamworth court for a police pursuit. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/afalkenmire/0c28587f-9ac3-490a-92f5-96ee6c3915f1.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A MAN has been told the only person that can change the path he is on is himself after he was clocked speeding in a stolen ute on Tamworth streets and "playing chicken" with police.
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Jai Lake appeared in court via video link from custody when he was sentenced to two good behaviour orders of 13 months each, after pleading guilty to charges of police pursuit and stealing a car.
Tamworth Local Court heard the 21-year-old was behind bars on separate allegations and wouldn't be released from custody "in the near future".
Defence solicitor Garry Johnston told the court a sentencing report showed Lake had some insight into how dangerous his actions were when he led police on a pre-dawn chase.
A document detailing the offending revealed an unlicenced Lake had driven a Holden Commodore ute straight at a marked police car in West Tamworth, forcing it to go up onto the kerb.
"Almost playing chicken with police," Mr Johnston said.
Mr Johnston told the court Lake didn't have other serious matters of the same type on his record.
"He's never been a driving offender, generally, this seems to be his latest foray, Your Honour," he said.
Magistrate Mal Macpherson said the chase was relatively short and driving at police was the worst part of the offending, aside from the high speeds reached of up to 145km per hour in residential streets.
"You're a young man with a whole life in front of you mate, there must be something better to do than what you're doing at the moment, but that's entirely a matter for you son," Mr Macpherson told Lake.
"Jai is the only person that can change this situation."
"The man in the mirror, we've spoken about that," Mr Johnston replied.
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Mr Johnston detailed some of the difficult circumstances Lake had experienced in his life.
Lake was arrested after officers dedicated to a property crime operation - codenamed Strike Force Western Mongoose - spotted a blue Holden ute that had earlier been reported stolen just before 1am on May 15.
Police said it was seen travelling at speed and crossed to the wrong side of the road as it continued through the streets of West Tamworth. A pursuit was sparked.
Officers clocked the ute travelling at speeds "in excess" of 140km per hour, up to an estimated 145km per hour.
Police called off the chase due to the risk of a "catastrophic" incident occurring, the facts show.
Lake was seen getting out of the car when it stopped and officers followed him on foot into a backyard, where he was arrested.
The keys to the ute were found nearby.
Mr Macpherson told Lake when he handed down the sentence that depending what happened in his other matters, if he was released into the community at some point, he would have to report to community corrections.
He was disqualified from holding a drivers' licence for 13 months.
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