Man who evaded police pursuit and racked up a string of driving offences jailed and heavily fined

A Great Southern man who evaded police pursuit and continuously drove while on drugs with a suspended licence has been jailed, fined heavily and had his licence disqualified for several years. Sudirman Kabul, 44, appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court on January 20 to be sentenced on 18 charges. These included breaching a community order, three counts of drug possession, possessing drug paraphernalia, two counts of stealing, two counts driving with an illicit drug in his oral fluid, careless driving, five counts of driving while suspended, failing to obey a data access order, driving to escape police pursuit and failing to comply with a direction to stop. The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to all 18 charges during multiple appearances between October 29, 2024, and November 17, 2025. On February 25, 2024, Kabul was pulled over for a traffic stop about 3.30pm on Beaufort Street in Katanning and tested positive for methamphetamine and cannabis. In his vehicle police discovered a glass smoking utensil with traces of cannabis under his car seat and black bag containing 0.55g of cannabis. On March 19, Kabul breached his community order that he was served two days prior for an unrelated matter. Less than two weeks later on March 31, Kabul’s dash cam recorded him driving north on Great Southern Highway in Broomehill when he veered off the road, ploughing through a 110km/h sign post before hitting a tree. His phone identified the crash and automatically dialed triple-0 and he was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment. Hospital staff found 6.26g of meth on Kabul and police discovered a bag containing 223.7g of cannabis wrapped in a shirt in his car. On May 8, Kabul failed to grant police access to his two mobile phones after being served with a data access order. On July 10, Kabul drove into the Katanning Shell Roadhouse about 9am and filled up his car with $50.07 worth of fuel and drove away without paying. The police followed up and instructed Kabul that he had until July 22 to pay, which he failed to do. On October 10, police were stopped at a Katanning intersection when they saw Kabul driving at high speed towards them, narrowly missing their vehicle. The police directed Kabul to stop, which he ignored, leading to a pursuit through the town site where Kabul was seen driving dangerously around other vehicles and pedestrians before turning on to a dirt road. Kabul was charged later that evening. The following day police caught Kabul driving again at 6.20am and conducted a drug test which was positive for methamphetamine and cannabis. Kabul was detected driving with a suspended licence on July 10 and 20, October 5, 10 and 11, 2024, in Katanning. A year later, Kabul was captured by CCTV stealing three premixed bourbon-and-cola cans from BWS Katanning alongside a co-accused about 3..30pm on November 11, 2025. Kabul’s lawyer Sonia Anderson revealed she had no contact with her client for two months before the court date, leaving Magistrate Rosemarie Myers to stand the matter down so they could speak, and recall Kabul later that day. Community corrections said Kabul failed to comply with previous programs and supervision requirements. Ms Anderson said her client’s 2024 offending resulted from his untreated ADHD and he had since taken steps to better himself such as studying a business certificate to re-enter the work force and cutting out alcohol, though admitted drugs were still an issue. Ms Anderson said Kabul was taking care of his elderly mother and urged the court to consider the impact on her when sentencing. In her sentencing remarks, Ms Myers said she did not accept ADHD as a reason for Kabul’s offending but instead a “total disregard” for the law which was highlighted by his repeated non-compliance for numerous community orders. She said Kabul’s record stated he had served prison time in 2023 for similar offending and still had not stopped his behaviour. Ms Myers sentenced Kabul to seven months imprisonment, fined him $4600, plus $701.40 in costs and $400 analysis fee and disqualified his licence for 5½ years. Kabul was also ordered to compensate BWS Katanning $21 for the stolen alcohol and Shell $50.07 for the stolen fuel.