Steven Michael Clements in court for dangerous driving, burnout in Gympie CBD

The Gympie landscaper was spotted doing a burnout at the Monkland St intersection of the Bruce Hwy before police started following him. Things got worse from there.

A Monkland landscaper led police on a short chase through Gympie’s CBD, including speeding through a stop sign at 70km/h, a court has heard.

Steven Michael Clement, 27, represented himself in Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, doing burnouts, drug driving, driving without a licence and failing to give identifying particulars.

Clement did not have any supporters in the public gallery throughout his appearance.

The court heard police spotted Clement doing a burnout in his black Ford Falcon at the intersection of Monkland St and the Bruce Hwy on February 6, 2022.

Police prosecutor Melissa Campbell said Clement then sped through a red light and crossed three lanes of traffic as the police car approached him.

Steven Michael Clements leaves Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday.

“Police attempted to navigate through the traffic to intercept the vehicle, however the vehicle continued to accelerate away from police,” Sgt Campbell said.

Clement sped on to Reef St and past a playground, and then proceeded to speed through a stop sign doing 70km/h.

He then turned into Young St, at which point police lost sight of him, Sgt Campbell said.

The next day, on February 7, Clement was pulled over at Cooroy but denied he was the person behind the wheel the day before.

“He was shown photos of the skid marks on the road (from the burnout), and responded ‘that looks f------ sick’,” Sgt Campbell said.

Police then showed Clement video footage from the chase, but Clement continued to deny it was him.

He was then drug tested from his car.

Steven Michael Clement, 28, represented himself in Gympie Magistrates Court (pictured) on Thursday and pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, doing burnouts, drug driving, driving without a licence and failing to give identifying particulars.

Later, on April 17, Clement was caught driving without a licence at Mt Ommaney, then failed to show up at the police station to give identifying particulars on April 25.

Clement said he believed his dangerous driving was at “the lower end” of seriousness, considering no one was hurt and nothing was damaged.

He accepted his actions were “stupid”.

“I just want to put this behind me,” he said.

He was fined $1500 by Magistrate Chris Callaghan, and disqualified from driving for nine months.