A bird-flipping driver who broke a police officer's leg, leaving the victim at his "darkest point", has avoided further jail time after a high-speed chase.
Dale Alfred Savage, 41, faced the ACT Supreme Court's drug and alcohol sentencing list on Thursday for sentencing on six charges including causing grievous bodily harm and aggravated reckless driving.
In a courtroom filled with police officers, Acting Justice Richard Refshauge handed Savage a drug and alcohol treatment order to be served in the community.
The judge described Savage's "spree of criminality" as "totally unacceptable", saying it had "left people suffering and in harm".
Savage had been remanded in custody since his arrest on July 12, 2022, after a car chase through one of Canberra's busiest roads.
The offender was travelling about 90km/h in a 60km/h zone along Northbourne Avenue, in Turner, in a black Honda Civic just after 11pm.
When officers attempted to pull over the speeding vehicle, Savage "extended his right arm from the window of his vehicle and stuck his middle finger up at police".
Savage would avoid two separate sets of tyre deflating devices, one by mounting the kerb, with police continuing their chase.
Police eventually successfully deployed three sets of tyre deflation devices on the offender's vehicle, causing both of the Honda's driver's side tyres to deflate and sparks to emanate from the rear as Savage continued to drive.
He finally stopped and exited the vehicle but pushed back against the officer attempting to apprehend him.
The officer slipped on the wet surface of the road and fell, breaking his lower leg and ankle, later requiring surgery.
The court had previously heard the victim's disability lead to the "worst and darkest point" in his life, leaving a "heavy toll" on his mental health.
His victim impact statement made reference to being "unable to walk out of the hospital with my wife and first born".
Savage, who was carrying a serrated kitchen knife approximately 25cm in length and a pair of scissors during the incident, was Tasered and arrested.
He was also found to be under the influence of cannabis, which the court heard he was dependent on.
Savage was handed a total jail sentence of three years and four months, backdated to his arrest.
Acting Justice Refshauge suspended the sentence from Thursday, on the condition Savage enter into a two-year treatment order.
Acting Justice Refshauge told Savage he was "not absolutely sure yet" if the offender was genuine about rehabilitating himself but that he had come to the right place if he was.
"If you want to be a father to your five-[month]-old ... you need to address this," he said.
"You've got to do the majority of the work and we will support you."
Savage will return to the court weekly for the next few months as a condition of his treatment order, which also includes provisions such as regular urinalysis and enrolling in a drug and alcohol community program.
