A MAN has been refused bail and a woman released after allegedly swapping seats mid-chase with police in Tamworth.
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Zachary Wilkinson, 22, is facing nine charges and Kelly-Anne Lee Ninness is charged with three offences, accused of leading police on a high-speed pursuit along Armidale Road in Tamworth before they were pulled from the Nissan Pathfinder in Nemingha.
The pair fronted Tamworth Local Court on Tuesday, after spending the night in custody, following their arrest in Somerset Place about 10.30am on Monday.
Wilkinson is accused of possessing methylamphetamine, or ice, MDMA, or ecstasy, cannabis, a Buprenorphine strip, and Buprenorphine powder and a large hunting knife.
He’s also charged with resisting police, Skye’s Law police pursuit and driving while disqualified.
Police allege Wilkinson tossed the knife out of the car during the pursuit, and swapped seats before police smashed the windows to drag him and Ninness from the car.
A second charge of driving while disqualified was also listed in court, with police alleging Wilkinson is prohibited from driving until November, 2020, but was allegedly stopped while driving in Stokes Avenue in Westdale on March 7.
Wilkinson made no application for bail on Tuesday and it was formally refused by magistrate Julie Soars who ordered him to get legal advice and enter pleas when the case returns to court later this month.
Co-accused Ninness, 33, is charged with Skye’s Law police pursuit, resisting police when she was dragged from the Nissan in Nemingha and custody of a small folding bladed pocked knife.
She was granted conditional bail to report to police, live in Westdale and not contact Wilkinson.
She will also return to court later this month.