A man who escaped from Canberra's jail only to be arrested in a high-speed pursuit days later has won an appeal over a decision to ban him from the road for 16 years.
Patrick McCurley, 29, broke out of the Alexander Maconochie Centre in September 2016 along with another man.
The pair took advantage of building materials to scale a fence.
Four days later McCurley led police on a high-speed pursuit across Canberra, at one point driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid police.
McCurley is serving three years in prison for a range of offences and was banned from driving for 16-and-a-half years.
However he appealed the driving ban, arguing it was manifestly excessive.
Today Justice David Mossop agreed, finding the original ban would have hindered his prospects of rehabilitation.
"There is at least a possibility that after serving the sentence of imprisonment which was imposed, the appellant may be able to lead what is referred to by some as a 'pro-social' life," he said.
"The prospects of him doing so would be impeded if he is burdened with a period of disqualification which extends over the best part of his remaining working life."
Justice Mossop reduced the ban to five years, and made an order that if McCurley wished to apply for a licence when the ban was up he would have to do so through the courts.
He said he hoped the reduced ban would be an incentive for McCurley to abide by the law.
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