Marc Jessop pleads guilty to manslaughter after Monaro Highway crash kills Harri Jokinen

Marc Anthony Jessop, 49, of Moruya, faced Cooma Local Court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter, driving dangerously and not stopping during a police pursuit, driving a stolen car, driving while disqualified and two counts of aggravated breaking, entering and stealing.

Jessop collided head-on with a Mitsubishi on the Monaro Highway, just outside the ACT, on December 30, 2021.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, 56-year-old Harri Jokinen, died at the scene.

Earlier that day, at about 2am, Jessop and two other men stole six jerry cans, four cans of Red Bull, several packets of salt and vinegar chips, a phone charger cable and flavoured milk from a petrol station in Michelago.

They also caused about $3000 of property damage.

On the same morning, Jessop and the other men also broke into and stole from Nimmitabel Bakery, causing $4500 worth of damage.

The shop owner became aware of the break-in and contacted Nimmitabel Police Station, located only 200 metres from bakery.

Police pursued the men in a car for a short time but terminated the pursuit when the vehicle gained too much ground.

At about 10.28am, police started a pursuit of a stolen black Holden Commodore, driven by Jessop, but it was terminated due to the vehicle's excessive speed of about 180km/h in a 100km/h zone.

About 20 minutes later, the vehicle was spotted by Queanbeyan highway patrol officers on the Monaro Highway.

A second police pursuit commenced in Williamsdale.

Police planned to stop the vehicle with a tyre deflation device before the ACT border.

The Commodore side-swiped two other vehicles as it straddled the centre line of the road.

Jessop then collided head-on with a Mitsubishi coming from the other direction.

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The victim, Mr Jokinen, was unresponsive and trapped in his vehicle.

Mr Jokinen was cut from the car by emergency services and despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police removed Jessop from the driver's seat of the Commodore and he was arrested.

Court documents state the vehicle had been speeding an average of 180km/h over a 2.3km distance before the collision.

Data from the vehicle showed it was travelling at more than 188km/h in the seconds before the airbag was deployed.

In an interview with police, Jessop admitted his involvement and that he had been drinking prior to driving.

Jessop said he did not see a police officer next to the road, was unaware of the tyre deflation device and was just starting to register a police vehicle.

According to court documents, Jessop told police that, before the crash, as he drove over the top of a crest in the road, he saw a black Triton and "backed off" before trying to overtake the vehicle.

"There was nothing coming so I tried to get around it real quick and then all of a sudden another car came around the corner, and I just tried to squeeze through the middle of them," Jessop said.

Jessop did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.

The case is now set to go before Queanbeyan District Court on May 1. Jessop is not required to appear if legally represented.

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