Rail collision apology bid

A Withers man who is planning to defend allegations that he drove around boom gates to evade police before colliding with the Australind Train says he wants to apologise to the community.

Christopher Robert Bekkers, 21, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court via video link from Bunbury Regional Prison on Monday when he indicated he wanted another chance to be released to home detention.

Mr Bekkers was previously released on bail before police allege he again tried to evade police in a separate incident.

Mr Bekkers was then successful in his application to be released to home detention, but he allegedly failed to comply with conditions and he was again arrested.

He now faces two counts each of reckless driving to escape pursuit and being a driver who failed to comply with a direction to stop in circumstances of aggravation, and one count each of driving while impaired by drugs, stealing a motor vehicle and possessing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and stolen or unlawfully obtained property.

Mr Bekkers is also charged with being involved in an incident and failing to ensure each victim received help and failing to stop for as long as necessary after police allege he left his 17-year-old passenger injured at the train crossing following his first alleged mis-demeanour.

Mr Bekkers was first arrested a short distance from where he allegedly crashed his car at the Robertson Drive train crossing on April 1 last year.

He has pleaded not guilty to a handful of charges, but is yet to plead on the remainder.

In court this week, Magistrate Stephen Wilson said there had been “a lot of wasted time” surrounding the allegations and the matters needed to move forward.

Defence lawyer Ian Macfarlane agreed the matters had been “going on for a long time” and that he had been given a grant of aid, but that Mr Bekkers’ instructions were “not in accordance” with an understanding between the two which “causes me a problem”.

Via video link in court, Mr Bekkers said he wanted to put out an apology to the community and that he had “stuffed up” his home detention because he had problems with an ex-partner which caused him to relapse.

Magistrate Wilson remanded Mr Bekkers in custody and adjourned the matters to tomorrow for a possible home detention request.