By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
An ALLEGED drug addict has smashed the front glass doors of Dandenong Magistrates’ Court and attempted to carjack a nearby vehicle in a bid to escape a seven-day jail term.
A court heard that Steven Hurley, of City of Casey, walked out of a Dandenong Drug Court hearing after magistrate Tony Parsons jailed him for non-compliance with a drug treatment order on 2 June.
Hurley ignored requests by security officers for him to stop, and ran at the glass door exit, smashing the glass and unhinging the door, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told on 4 July.
He “squeezed through” the automatic sliding doors, and ran along Lonsdale Street, police alleged.
Hurley then got into the front seat of a southward-bound car, and allegedly told the driver to lock the doors and take him to hospital.
As police approached on foot, Hurley allegedly slouched down and told the driver to “f***ing drive off or I’ll cut you”.
Police deployed pepper-spray through a gap in the car’s window. Hurley was arrested and taken to hospital to treat cuts from the glass door.
Defence lawyer Adam Maloney said Hurley – who has been in custody since the incident – disputed the nature of the alleged threats, but would plead guilty to criminal damage to the door.
The accused would also plead guilty if a false imprisonment charge was downgraded to a ‘threat to cause injury’ charge, Mr Maloney said.
Hurley was also yet to plead to charges over allegedly riding while disqualified on a stolen motorcycle with false plates.
Mr Maloney said CCTV footage used to identify Hurley was “not particularly clear”.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen agreed the false imprisonment “isn’t made out”, and the alternative offence was the “middle ground”.
Mr Vandersteen, who viewed CCTV footage of the escape, said it appeared Hurley had not really seen the doors when he ran at them.
The case was adjourned for further summary-case conferencing.
Hurley was remanded in custody to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 7 July.
