Rockhampton teen in court over electric scooter ‘hooning’, overtaking police car
It was a ‘silly’ dash to get some dinner that led this teen in front of a magistrate for the very first time.
Police & Courts
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A teenager has fronted court for ‘hooning’ by overtaking a police vehicle on an electric scooter and doing a wheelie with a passenger on board on a busy Rockhampton street.
The then 17-year-old pleaded guilty to operating an electric scooter on a street with a speed limit of 50km/hr more than the speed limit, failing to stay left of a median strip, overtaking a vehicle and failing to leave a sufficient safe distance before pulling in front of the vehicle and failing to stop on the white line when traffic lights were yellow in Rockhampton Children’s Court on October 15.
Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said police observed the defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, on the electric scooter at 7.25pm on the day of the incident in December, heading the wrong direction down Fitzroy Street between Bolsover and East streets.
“They observed the defendant conduct what’s known as a mono – he lifted the front wheel of the electric scooter off the ground as he was riding it,” he said.
“He rode up the wrong side of the road on East Street… (failing) to keep left of the median strip and cars in the middle of the street.”
Mr Fox said as the defendant travelled between Denham and William streets and overtook a police vehicle near a pedestrian crossing and parked cars.
He said when he overtook the police vehicle, he could have stopped safely at yellow traffic lights at the intersection of East and William streets, but instead passed through the intersection.
The defendant and his passenger stopped at a Subway and police asked him questions before issuing him with infringements for each of the offences.
The infringements were for $185, $123, $216.06 and $619.
Mr Fox said the defendant told police he was not able to pay those amounts and elected to proceed to court for that reason.
Defence lawyer Rebecca Winning said her client and his passenger were on their way to Subway to get dinner.
She said he lives with his mother, has a Grade 9 education and has a girlfriend.
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said this behaviour was considered to be hooning.
“It’s silly behaviour,” she said.
The defendant had no children’s court history or traffic history.
Ms Beckinsale ordered the defendant reprimanded, no fine and no conviction recorded.
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