William Bennett Offord applies for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court

A Rockhampton teenager is facing a raft of offences after he allegedly stole a woman’s car, and dragged her along the roadway for 20m when she tried to stop him.

A woman was allegedly dragged beside her vehicle for about 20 meters in Rockhampton after getting her hand stuck in the driver’s side door while trying to stop a teenager from stealing her car.

William Bennett Offord, 19, applied for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 18.

Mr Offord was charged with two counts each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, receiving tainted property, and unlawful use of a vehicle, and one count each of failing to remain at an incident and render assistance, driving without a licence, and offence to buy or possess S4 or S8 medicines or hazardous poisons.

Police prosecutor Brandy Butler was opposed to bail being granted to Mr Offord, stating his alleged actions placed the community at an unacceptable risk.

William Bennett Offord, 19, applied for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 18, 2021.

Mr Offord was allegedly a passenger in a stolen vehicle, before allegedly stealing another car on the afternoon of October 15.

The victim saw her vehicle moving from the premises and rushed out to the laneway to stop Mr Offord from allegedly stealing the vehicle.

The victim attempted to open the car door, however, Mr Offord allegedly accelerated heavily causing the victim’s hand to become trapped in the door and dragged beside the vehicle for about 20 meters before she was able to free herself and roll away.

Later, Mr Offord allegedly crashed into a vehicle at an intersection on Albert Street and ran from the scene.

The court heard bystanders chased Mr Offord back to Kent Street where he was restrained until police arrived.

Ms Butler said there were no bail conditions that could be imposed that would ameliorate any of the risks Mr Offord allegedly posed to the community.

Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert argued that strict bail conditions would lessen the risk of his client failing to appear in court.

Mr Gimbert said Magistrate Jason Schubert could order that his client live with his father in Mount Morgan, consume no alcohol or drugs, report regularly to police, be subjected to a curfew, and engage with counselling at Helem Yumba.

He said his client was young and had issues with alcohol and marijuana and had been attending Rockhampton Alcohol and Other Drugs Services.

Mr Schubert refused to grant Mr Offord bail, stating there was an unacceptable risk that if he were released on bail that he would commit further offences and endanger the safety and welfare of the community.

Mr Offord was remanded in custody with his matter adjourned to December 10. He could be heard crying loudly from the courtroom as he was led away from the dock after his bail was denied.