Zak Rodney Cleminson: Geraldton man faces 12 months behind bars for two-hour police chase, obscene act

A man was sentenced to 12 months behind bars for his involvement in several offences, including a two-hour police chase through Geraldton and exposing himself in front of a teenage girl in Midland. Zak Rodney Cleminson appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court via video link from Greenough Prison on Friday for sentencing, after pleading guilty to five charges last month. Police alleged that on Wednesday, November 6 about 1.30pm, Cleminson drove a Holden Commodore sedan without displaying number plates, when an unmarked police car attempted to flag him down. He drove through several back roads in Geraldton, travelling as fast as 60km/h over the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic. Cleminson then dropped a passenger off in Wandina, before setting off towards Dongara, reaching 140km/h at stages. Police used a tyre deflation device to deflate his front right tyre. Cleminson made it as far as Badgingarra, about 225km south of Geraldton. The tyre’s rim had separated and caused the undercarriage of the car to scrape on the ground. It caused the transmission to fail, bringing the car to a stop. Police allege the man had attempted to inject drugs into his left arm when they approached him. Meanwhile, in April this year, police said Cleminson was at Midland Station and approached a 16-year-old girl and started chatting to her. According to police, he asked the girl if she wanted cannabis, and asked if she was a virgin before exposing himself and rubbing himself in front of her. Community Corrections said Cleminson had failed to make regular communication, cancelling all three appointments for alcohol and drug appointments. In his defence, Cleminson told the court he had just lost three family members and was grieving. In regard to the chase, he said he was being threatened by the passenger not to pull over, but conceded he was “off my head” on methylamphetamine. He said his mental health was not good, having previously contacted Northampton police over suicidal thoughts, and wanted to get treatment. Magistrate Kelly Thompson said drugs had an underlying role in Cleminson’s mental health condition, saying it was a cycle and he needed to get a grip on his addiction. He was sentenced to a total of 12 months in jail for obscene acts in public, driving a vehicle that failed to comply with a direction to stop, reckless driving in a confiscation zone to escape police pursuit, using an unlicensed vehicle on a road and possessing a prohibited drug. Cleminson was eligible for parole, but was also given a $600 fine, and had his licence disqualified for two years.