A TEENAGER has been jailed for three dangerous high-speed pursuits last week, after he tried to outrun police.
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Seth Keith Wills was on a suspended licence and hit speeds of more than 180km per hour as he tried to evade officers as they chased him down the New England Highway.
The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to all seven charges in Armidale Local Court - three days after his arrest in Guyra when he crashed the car.
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Wills faced seven charges and was jailed by magistrate Michael Holmes for 18 months for three counts of police pursuit under Skye's Law.
He was ordered to spend a minimum of nine months behind bars, from his arrest on Sunday, February 16. Wills was sentenced to concurrent terms for the other charges of failing to pay for fuel; and receiving stolen property from outside NSW.
He was convicted without further penalty of driving while suspended and driving more than 45km per hour over the speed limit, but has lost his licence for 12 months.
Wills will be first eligible for parole in November.
Earlier last week, police said Wills' driving manner on the Sunday evening in three separate police pursuits from Deepwater to Guyra was just "downright dangerous".
Wills was captured trying to get away from officers when he crashed a Holden Vectra.
The Vectra was stolen from Queensland on Sunday morning. Highway officers were carrying out patrols on the New England Highway, north of Deepwater, at about 5pm when they spotted a gold Holden Vectra that was reported stolen.
Wills was behind the wheel and took off when officers signalled for him to stop. A chase was launched but it was called off shortly after for safety concerns because the Vectra hit speeds of up to 160km per hour in a 100 zone, and veered onto the wrong side of the road.
Wills then failed to pay for more than $80 worth of fuel at a roadhouse in Deepwater.
Back-up was alerted and officers spotted the same car south of Deepwater, where they initiated another pursuit but it failed to stop.
When the car was clocked at 180km per hour, with traffic on the road, officers abandoned the chase again.
Officers then set-up road spikes at Dundee, but were unable to deploy them when the Vectra flew past, at speeds estimated to be close to 200km per hour.
More police got into position at Guyra on the highway, near the intersection of Crystalbrook Road, at about 5.40pm.
Police were given permission to deploy road spikes, about 1km from town, and were successful, causing the tyres to deflate.
The Vectra lost control, crossed to the wrong side of the road, mounted the medium strip and footpath and onto the railway line, where it crashed down an embankment.
Wills tried to run towards Guyra, before he was captured.
At the time of the arrest, New England Detective Acting Inspector Matt Crotty said the speeds were "downright dangerous".
"This was an incredibly dangerous situation that was diffused by excellent police work and coordination between officers across the New England Police District to apprehend this driver, before anyone was hurt," he said earlier this week.
"It was only by the quick actions of police to resolve this incident, without injury to any members of the public, that we have one male before the courts facing a list of charges."