Bo Keven Shayler pleads guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving without due care

A man's trip to the glitter Glitter Strip ended badly when he fell asleep at the wheel, bringing down a light pole.

A TRIP to the bright lights of Surfers Paradise ended badly for an Ipswich lad when his Subaru wagon struck a street light, sending the pole crashing to the ground.

An Ipswich court this week heard Bo Shayler didn’t stick around, but he was found by police a short time later in a laneway.

Shayler told the officers he simply fell asleep behind the wheel when driving in Cypress Ave and crashed into the pole, Ipswich Magistrates Court heard when he appeared from jail for sentence.

Bo Keven Shayler, 31, from West Ipswich, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle; driving without due care on August 9 last year; failing to comply with duties of a driver involved in an accident; receiving tainted property between November 20, 2020 and February 19 (wallet and bank cards); three counts of failing to take care/safety with used needle/syringes; two counts of stealing petrol; two counts of being in possession of dangerous drugs; possession of drug utensils; possession of tainted property; and three counts of failing to appear at court.

Police prosecutor Ricky Tsoi told the court Shayler received a $6600 fine for evading police in a group of charges that were finalised before the court on February 5.

Bo Keven Shayler crashed at Surfers Paradise after claiming he had fallen asleep behind the wheel.

“It is very clear he has issues with drugs and has been found in possession of them a number of times,” Mr Tsoi said.

Police sought a jail penalty of six to nine months, with Shayler held in custody since his arrest on July 16.

In the facts before the court Shayler borrowed a woman’s car at 11am and was told to return it by 1pm.

The days passed with no car returned and she reported it stolen.

Then on July 5 the stolen car was seen in the car park of Hungry Jacks Ipswich, with Shayler saying he intended to take it back but had “driven to Bundaberg to see a mate”.

At 5am on August 9 last year CCTV showed a gold coloured Subaru Outback colliding with a power pole at Surfers Paradise.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said Shayler had largely been cooperative with police and made admissions about his use of ice.

Magistrate Jacqueline Payne said his charges could be described as being low-level drug and dishonesty offences. She noted his struggle with an ice addiction.

Shayler was convicted and sentenced to nine months jail.

He was ordered to pay $79.20 restitution for the two petrol stealing crimes.

Shayler received immediate parole.