Don’t jail me- Jamie Tabone, leaving court with his girlfriend, is a serial hoon. 51840

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
Jamie Alex Tabone’s lawyer said he was initially “gobsmacked” by his client’s “irrational behaviour”, but said it was caused by a previously-undiagnosed brain injury received when Tabone crashed his car into a tree four years ago.
Ringwood Magistrate’s Court heard that Tabone was clocked in his high performance car driving at an average speed of 160km/h at night along the Melba Highway last December.
The court was told at one stage Tabone drove without headlights and overtook vehicles on double-white lines with oncoming traffic.
He smashed and abandoned the car in Yarra Glen, where police impounded it.
Two weeks later Tabone smashed another car in Warragul when trying to evade police at speeds of 140km/h just after midnight – he ran and was found hiding behind some trees.
Magistrate Tony Parsons heard last Thursday (12 August) the defendant had already lost his licence for numerous driving offences, including two previous police chases.
Tabone pleaded guilty to drink-driving, dangerous driving, reckless conduct endangering life, two charges of evading police and three charges of driving while disqualified.
The third charge of driving while disqualified occurred when Tabone was stopped along Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully on April 21.
Defence lawyer Richard David told the court his client’s decision-making ability was non-existent from injuries sustained in the 2006 crash.
Mr Davis suggested rather than a jail sentence for Tabone, an intensive corrections order for unpaid community work and medical treatment would “help get him on the straight and narrow”.
“He’s a peril on the road,” Mr Davis said. “It’s irrational behaviour that defies logic.” The case will continue this Thursday.