David Donald Lloyd Laurie: Serial offender launches car at sister, hurls hammer at windscreen
A Dalby man has pleaded guilty to dozens of charges after CCTV footage captured the heart-stopping moment he accelerated a car toward his sister during a fight.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The heart-stopping moment a serial offender launched his car at his sister and hurled a hammer through her windscreen was caught on CCTV, with the man warned he was lucky things didn’t end in disaster.
David Donald Lloyd Laurie went to his sister’s house on January 5 and got into a physical fight with her boyfriend.
Police prosecutor Derek Brady told Dalby Magistrates Court the 23-year-old went to his car and got a hammer he then used to chase his sister’s boyfriend around.
Sergeant Brady said Laurie then got into his car and accelerated across a neighbour’s lawn toward his sister, hurling the hammer through his sister’s windscreen.
“It’s good luck, not good management, that someone didn’t get injured,” Sergeant Brady said.
The court heard the Dalby man was busted in June using a stolen credit card, which he used to rack up $3391.01 of transactions in just 24 hours.
Sergeant Brady said that only weeks after the first fraud offence, Laurie was again caught using another stolen credit card, this time spending a couple hundred dollars.
The police prosecutor said the 23-year-old received jail time for stealing $6000 worth of tools in 2018.
Lawyer Julia Molloy said her client was engaged with Headspace and was volunteering with the Salvation Army to help give back.
Laurie’s sister, who sat in the courtroom with his grandmother and girlfriend in support, submitted a character reference for her brother.
“He’s self-referred to mental health programs and has taken the bull by the horns and turned his life around,” Ms Molloy said.
Laurie was visibly distressed during his court proceedings, breaking down in tears as the magistrate handed down his sentence.
Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan told Laurie his actions could have ended in tragedy, but acknowledged his efforts to turn his life around.
Laurie pleaded guilty to 33 charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, wilful damage, fraud, stealing, trespass, forgery and uttering, unlawful possession of a motor vehicle, drug driving, possessing stolen property and possessing drugs and utensils.
He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail but released on immediate parole. He is also disqualified from driving for six months.
Everybody appearing at Dalby Magistrates Court, Friday, February 21
Here is a list of matters listed at Dalby Magistrates Court on Friday.
Court wrap: Motorbike rider found to be unlicensed since 2015
From a man who became unlicensed after failing to check his mail to another who was caught riding a motorbike while being unlicensed for more than a decade, these are the drivers who appeared in court.