Scott William Bradbery jailed for dangerous police pursuits, assault on cyclist

Scott William Bradbery fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to 27 charges relating to dangerous driving and traffic offences, including four failing to stop for police that led to pursuits.

The 31-year-old, who was already serving a good behaviour order at the time of the offending, also pleaded guilty to common assault and speeding in which all of his offending happened between March 2020 and January this year.

The court heard that in April last year, Bradbery was riding a motorbike in the opposite direction of a cyclist along a pathway near Melrose School when the cyclist yelled at him to get off the path.

Bradbery then did a U-turn before riding directly into the victim, knocking both men off.

The offender then kicked the victim in the face before police attended.

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His reckless driving and police pursuits involved four different cars in Mawson, Wanniassa, Charnwood and Belconnen.

In May last year, police pursued him in Wanniassa when he driving a Holden station wagon and going at least 110km/h in an 80km/h zone.

Three months later, he stole a Holden Cruze in which police deployed spike strips to stop him at Charnwood Shopping Centre.

He was able to drive only another 2.2 kilometres before fleeing the car. Police then saw him later that day when he became emotional and told them two men, wearing masks and gloves, grabbed him into a car before they "laid into him", resulting in facial injuries.

Police arrested Bradbery in January this year after they pursued him driving another station wagon in Belconnen.

The court heard Bradbery bragged to his partner about his driving and that he committed a number of the offences while under the influence of illicit substances.

Bradbery's non-parole period of two years is backdated to January this year.

Magistrate Beth Campbell also fined him nearly $10,000 for a number of the offences and ordered him to pay the cyclist $250.

In her remarks, Ms Campbell described Bradbery's offending as having "potentially lethal conduct".

"You've been a real menace on the road and you are extraordinarily fortunate that you are not facing more significant penalties where you have actually struck someone in the community or cause an injury to someone where they don't bounce back from," Ms Campbell said.

"Your problem is of course that your record is just appalling - driving whilst disqualified over and over and over again."

Ms Campbell said she tried to make allowances in her punishment where she can, but deterrence directly for Bradbery was "so overwhelming" that a strong punishment had to be made.

Earlier in the hearing, defence lawyer Gabrielle Knight said that while a jail term was the only appropriate term based on the objective seriousness of the offence, she argued for a community-based sentence or to release her client to a suspended jail term.

She said the offending happened because of the company Bradbery chose to keep and that prohibited drug use was the "common denominator" among all offending, which escalated after his father died seven years ago and experiencing a breakdown in relationship with his mum.

Ms Knight said her client had completed a barber course while in custody that now "provides him with an avenue for employment upon release".

Ms Knight said Bradbery was also remorseful for the attack on the cyclist because of his willingness to pay compensation to the victim and that he was at risk of being institutionalised in jail.

Prosecutor James Melloy said a full-time jail term was warranted because of the number of offences and their seriousness.

He said Bradbery's antecedents meant he had low prospects of rehabilitation and that evidence showed the offender was unwilling to engage in related programs while in custody.

Mr Melloy said Bradbery's initial denial of assaulting the cyclist was "indicative of a lack of remorse" and that he failed to understand how his offending affected the victim and community.

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