Man on the run walks from court with CSO

The fugitive car chase in March ended with an arrest at a private home in Hay, NSW. Image: The Riverine Grazier / Kimberly Grabbham.

By Tertia Butcher

A fugitive wanted on 10 outstanding warrants who initiating a police pursuit from Balranald before being captured in Hay has escaped full-time custody when he walked away from Griffith Local Court with an intensive correction order for 18 months.

John Moore from Canberra was convicted after being charged with a litany of offences, including the outstanding warrants from 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Magistrate Trevor Khan convicted Moore on the charges of not stopping during a police pursuit, driving dangerously, unlicensed driving, driving under the influence of drugs, and entering enclosed land without lawful excuse.

Moore was ordered to perform 150 hours of community service work and was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for 18 months.

Highway Patrol officers attempted to stop the vehicle, a Great Wall ute on the Sturt Highway at Balranald on March 14.

When the vehicle failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated and ended in Hay after road spikes were deployed.

Moore fled from Moppett Street where he was finally forced to stop the vehicle, while the passenger, 18-year-old Darla Charles-Goolagong, was arrested.

Following an intensive search of the area, and with the assistance of the public, Moore was arrested after he was found hiding on the veranda of a home in Balaclava Street.

Charles-Goolagong was convicted in June at Hay Local Court on charges of not disclosing the driver’s identity and the responsible person not disclosing the driver’s details. She was fined $1500.