Jake Thomas Hardie: Katanning man accused of driving recklessly to escape two police pursuits denies charges

A Katanning man who allegedly drove recklessly in the Katanning townsite and through roadworks to escape police will fight all charges laid against him. Jake Thomas Hardie, 29, appeared from police custody in Albany Magistrates Court on December 16, where he pleaded not guilty to six charges against him. The charges relate to two incidents on December 12, when Mr Hardie allegedly drove recklessly to escape police pursuit in both Katanning and Kojonup. He was charged with two counts each of being the driver of a vehicle that failed to comply with a direction to stop in a circumstance of aggravation, no authority to drive due to a suspended licence, and reckless driving to escape pursuit by police. Police prosecutor acting Sgt Meagan Diver said Mr Hardie was allegedly seen by police driving a blue Holden Commodore in Katanning. Officers activated lights and sirens to direct him to pull over after recognising he did not hold a drivers licence. Instead of stopping, Mr Hardie allegedly sped away, driving recklessly down multiple streets, including on the wrong side of the road and through a stop sign without stopping. Police were forced to end the pursuit for safety reasons. Later the same day, police allegedly saw Mr Hardie driving the same car being escorted by a traffic escort vehicle through roadworks on the Broomehill-Kojonup Road. Police again activated lights and sirens and attempted to block the road to stop Mr Hardie, but instead of stopping, Mr Hardie allegedly overtook the escort car and sped past police, driving on the wrong side of the road and the gravel shoulder. Acting Sgt Diver said Mr Hardie had been identified by two separate police officers, with the incidents captured on bodyworn camera and on CCTV in Katanning. She said he had repeatedly driven without a licence and was a danger to himself and the community, and the prosecution was concerned he would not appear in court on required dates if he was granted bail. Defence lawyer Georgia Herford said based on the evidence she had reviewed, Mr Hardie’s identity in both incidents could be called into question and said the time until the matters would go to trial was extensive. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers suggested home detention bail as an option and ordered details of Mr Hardie’s Katanning address be provided so a home detention report could be conducted. She did not grant him bail, but said if the results of the report were positive, she would re-consider home detention bail. Mr Hardie will next appear via video link in Albany Magistrates Court on December 30.