Samuel Jackson in court for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

An 18-year-old who towed a shopping trolley full of people behind his ute around an inner city carpark has faced court in a suit and tie.

An 18-year-old who towed a shopping trolley full of people behind his ute in an inner city carpark was told he was lucky nobody was killed by his “reckless and stupid” actions.

Samuel Anthony Jackson was captured on multiple cameras on the night of October 31, 2022, behind the wheel of a ute which engaged in dangerous behaviour in the centre of Gympie.

Gympie Magistrates Court heard the Woolooga teen and a group of young people had gathered at the Nelson Reserve carpark in Jaycee Way between 10.25pm and 11pm.

A shopping trolley was attached the back of the ute with a rope.

Jackson then hooned around the carpark, with various people at times travelling behind the vehicle in the trolley, or standing on the back of the ute while the empty trolley was dragged behind.

Samuel Anthony Jackson leaves Gympie Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. No conviction was recorded.

Police prosecutor Christie Mahoney told the court that, at times, Jackson spun his wheels and did burnouts in the carpark, whipping the trolley around and “almost colliding with bystanders”.

Footage of his behaviour was recorded by those present and shared on social media.

His behaviour was also caught on CCTV cameras and revealed to police it was “far worse” then the online footage showed.

Sgt Mahoney said when Jackson was behind the ute’s wheel he had “no control over the speed or direction of the trolley” and his behaviour was “reckless and stupid”.

Jackson, representing himself and wearing a suit and tie for his appearance, expanded on this, saying he now understood “just how plain stupid” his behaviour was.

He had been living with a friend at a Woolooga home since his parents moved away from the region, had no power or running water, and was no longer working mowing lawns after breaking his ribs in a bike accident on the property.

Footage of the late night hooning which landed Samuel Anthony Jackson in court was captured by those present and shared on social media.

“I realise my actions aren’t getting me anywhere in the long run,” he said.

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Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and a separate charge of unlicensed driving of a motorbike on January 9, 2023.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan warned him he had been playing with the possibility of serving time behind bars.

Mr Callaghan said he once acted on behalf of a man who was driving on Bribie Island with friends sitting unrestrained in the back of his ute. One of the passengers, who had been drinking, fell off the back of the vehicle, hit his head, and was killed.

The driver spent eight months behind bars, Mr Callaghan said.

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Gympie Magistrates Court heard Samuel Anthony Jackson had towed a trolley, sometimes carrying other youths, behind his ute during the hooning session in a carpark at Jaycee Way in the centre of the city.

He warned Jackson, he risked sharing the same fate.

“You were very close to having to do real jail,” he said.

Jackson’s history of driving offences was a “concern” as well.

It included a three month suspension in 2022 for demerit point losses, and a disqualification in 2023 after breaching a good behaviour driving order after failing to display his P-plates, using a mobile phone, and not wearing a seatbelt.

He was serving a driving ban at the time of his court appearance on Thursday, April 27, which was not due to end until October 18, 2023.

Mr Callaghan sympathised with Jackson’s situation as he had no criminal history and had largely been “left to his own devices”.

Noting Jackson’s lack of work and an outstanding $4000 SPER debt, Mr Callaghan was not satisfied the teenager would be able to pay a fine and instead placed him on 12 months’ probation.

No conviction was recorded.