Teen dumped stolen ute in cemetery lake after ramming car

The expectant Gympie father was convicted of 16 ‘abhorrent’ charges, including assault causing bodily harm and going armed in public

Chilly dumped the stolen car in a lake near Gympie cemetery after ramming it into another car.

A GYMPIE teenager who stole a car, dumped it in a lake and assaulted three people was told to grow up and take responsibility after blaming his behaviour on drugs and alcohol.

Jason Dylan Chilly, 19, pleaded guilty to 16 charges in the Gympie Magistrates Court, including assault causing bodily harm, going armed in public to cause fear, theft and breaching bail conditions.

On February 16, Chilly stole a ute, which he drove around Gympie while on a disqualified licence, and rammed it into his partner’s mother’s car.

He then drove the car to the cemetery and left the handbrake off so the car would roll into a lake, writing it off.

Chilly also stole petrol from Coles Express Gympie for the car, and was charged with unlawfully using a car without the owner’s consent, stealing, driving while disqualified and three counts of wilful and unlawful damage to a motor vehicle for the offences.

At the time, Chilly was on bail for allegedly wilfully and unlawfully damaging property, after a car window was smashed last September.

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A week later, on February 23, Chilly was charged with breaching his bail’s curfew condition, and possessing a category M weapon after he was caught with a flick knife.

He was remanded in custody from then until May 25, when he was released on bail again.

Less than a month later, on June 6, he attacked a woman while armed with a chair, and then when a man stepped in to help, dropped him to the ground and kicked him.

The same day, Chilly assaulted a third victim, smashed a glass window, damaged a vehicle and went armed in public to cause fear, the court heard. He also broke his bail conditions again, this time by not living at the address provided to police.

Chilly was charged with another count of wilfully and unlawfully damaging a motor vehicle, wilful and unlawful property damage, assault causing bodily harm while armed, assault causing bodily harm, assault, going armed in public to cause fear and breaching bail.

The police prosecutor said Chilly showed little remorse for his behaviour and had a tendency to disobey court orders and bail conditions.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service lawyer Mark Oliver said Chilly had anger management issues which were exacerbated by drugs and alcohol.

Mr Oliver said Chilly was a father-to-be and wanted to become a better person and father to his baby once it was born.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan said Chilly’s actions were abhorrent and asked why he had committed the offences.

Mr Oliver said Chilly blamed his behaviour on the drugs and alcohol, and that he had taken Xanax when he stole the car.

“I don’t accept that excuse, and in fact the law doesn’t accept that excuse,” Mr Callaghan said.

“You must be responsible for what you put in your mouth and the actions that follow.”

Mr Callaghan told Chilly he needed to be a role model for his child, and to think before he had a drink or took drugs.

“Be a man. This is not the stuff of real men,” Mr Callaghan said.

“This is quite pathetic stuff.”

Mr Callaghan gave Chilly a head sentence of 18 months in prison, to be released on 12 months parole after six months served.

Chilly’s 146 days in pre-sentence custody were considered time spent and he will be released on parole on September 9.

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