Two ice addicts have been jailed after a four-hour high-speed police chase in which they fired shots at officers and bystanders.
John Tough, 34, and Calin McCabe, 22, were sentenced in the New South Wales District Court on Wednesday after they were convicted following the chase from Caboolture, Queensland to northern New South Wales, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.
Tough was sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole, after being convicted of three counts of firing a gun in an attempt to evade arrest and four counts of aggravated assault with intent to take a motor vehicle.
John Tough, 34, and Calin McCabe, 22, (pictured) were sentenced in the New South Wales District Court on Wednesday
They were convicted following the chase from Caboolture, Queensland to northern New South Wales
The two men were caught driving at up to 190km/h in a stolen Mitsubishi Lancer on the M1 motorway.
Both Queensland and NSW police chased the men, who carjacked several vehicles. One of the tyres of a car they stole was blown out by spikes at Tugun, a Gold Coast suburb.
Tough jumped out of the Mitsubishi and shot at police and bystanders.
Senior Sergeant Bradyn Murphy arrested Tough after he was hit by another car on the motorway.
Mr Murphy said ‘anyone could have been killed’ during the chase and shooting.
The two men were caught driving at up to 190km/h in a stolen Mitsubishi Lancer on the M1 motorway
Both Queensland and NSW police chased the men, who carjacked several vehicles
‘It was high pressure. I pursued him from Robina,’ Mr Murphy said.
‘Tough got out and started shooting and we couldn’t return fire because there were so many motorists, so we just had to dodge his shots.
‘There were police and members of the public there and had he shot a straight bullet that day, anybody could have been killed.’
Before the chase, McCabe posted on Facebook that he was ‘not a push over kid that anyone can use’.
Before the chase, McCabe posted on Facebook that he was ‘not a push over kid that anyone can use’
The court heard McCabe ‘played very much the secondary role’ in the pursuit, and he was sentenced to six years in jail
He also posted a photo of himself with a large knife and a stack of money saying ‘f**king oath we all have our angry days’.
The court heard McCabe ‘played very much the secondary role’ in the pursuit, and he was sentenced to six years in jail.
Tough had used hard drugs since he was 13, is illiterate and has five children with three women.