Southwest Queensland’s criminal Gen Z’ers of 2020
Here are six fresh faced southwest Zoomers who have already racked up criminal records in their early adulthood during 2020.
Police & Courts
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There has been no shortage of criminal offenders across Southwest Queensland who have already racked up convictions in their early adulthood.
Here are some of the fresh-faced criminals from Generation Z during 2020.
Bryan Patrick Hallinan
This 22-year-old has been involved in multiple run-ins with the law, including two high profile incidents in Charleville during 2020.
He pleaded guilty to public nuisance and was fined $750 with a conviction recorded after lunging at a victim after a run-in at a local ATM on June 9.
Then, Bryan Patrick Hallinan had a spat with his half-brother Josiah John Russell late at night on November 20.
The Charleville Magistrates Court heard they were shouting abuse during a disturbance on the corner of Deverell and Edward Streets before being arrested by police.
But Hallinan kicked a sergeant in the chest as he was being taken into custody, then ran his teeth along his upper thigh.
He smashed a window when he was finally put into the police car.
At the watch-house, he then smeared blood over the cell, which required professional cleaning due to the biohazard.
He pleaded guilty to 13 charges on December 8, including three counts of seriously assaulting police officers, affray, and two counts of wilful damage.
Hallinan was sentenced to imprisonment and won't be eligible for parole until March 20, and he’ll have to serve 200 hours of community service and pay $1230.25 of compensation when he’s out.
His convictions were recorded.
Former Maranoa Regional Councillor David Schefe was at the back of the courtroom in support when Sgt Whiting told the court the councillor’s son was driving on Bowen St in a western direction and drove over a concrete traffic island damaging his front tyre causing sparks to fly.
Sgt Whiting said a road train travelling east was forced to break heavily to avoid a collision with the defendant’s vehicle.
Magistrate Peter Saggers labelled Tobias Schefe’s actions as a “very serious example of misjudgment”.
“You were drunk enough to get to 0.161 which is a high reading itself, you were affected to the extent where you obviously couldn’t make a rational decision to drive,” Magistrate Saggers said.
“You’re extremely fortunate you are here for the proceedings and you’re not being wheeled in.”
Schefe pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and driving without due care and attention.
He was fined $1500 for the two offences and disqualified from driving for seven months.
The conviction was recorded on the defendant’s traffic history.
Sitting in Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre and appearing via videolink, the 21-year-old mother of a three-year-old fidgeted with an object during the course of her hearing.
Howlett faced the St George Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty on October 20, for charges which included wilful damage and breaching her parole.
Police prosecutor sergeant Heather Whiting told the court that Howlett was in an argument and yelled, “you’re lucky I don’t burn this place down,” inside a residence on October 5.
Sergeant Whiting said when the victim returned to the residence at a later time, Howlett said, “I hope you have fun cleaning up your mess.”
As Magistrate Tracy Mossop was looking away from the screen, Howlett flipped her middle finger to the camera.
“Did I see what I thought I saw,” Magistrate Mossop said.
“Yep,” replied Sergeant Whiting.
Howlett was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with parole eligibility in January 2021.
A conviction was automatically recorded due to the prison sentence.
Lane Andrew Hearn
He thought he could make a buck by flipping a stolen camera, but he found himself in front of court instead.
Police searched a Roma address and found a number of items on June 21, 2019, including a Fuji SLR which was suspected of being stolen, the Magistrates Court heard.
Hearn pleaded guilty to possessing suspected stolen property and fraud and was sentenced to three months imprisonment, wholly suspended, with a conviction recorded.
Hearn landed himself in court again only a few months later, while on his suspended sentence, for throwing a pot plant at a police officer’s chest.
“Lets go c--ts, I’ll kick ya heads in,” he said at the time, the court heard.
Hearn’s mate was sitting behind him in court, amused by his friend’s actions, and was questioned by Magistrate Saggers, “will you go see him in custody?” to which he responded, “of course, he’s my best mate”.
“Maybe you should have a word to your best mate to ensure he doesn’t come back here if he’s your best mate,” Magistrate Saggers said.
Hearn pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and public nuisance.
Magistrate Saggers sentenced him to four months imprisonment with immediate parole, with a conviction automatically recorded.
“And to the mate in the back, tell him to stop it if he does stupid things,” Magistrate Saggers said.
In an unusual turn of events, a 22-year-old Roma man with five pages of criminal history actually asked the magistrate to send him to jail so he could “clear his head”, during a hearing on August 25.
Sullivan pleaded guilty to attempt to enter premises with intent to commit indictable offence, commit public nuisance, wilful damage and breach of bail.
The Roma Magistrates Court heard that a lady parked her Toyota Kluger Wagon at her friend’s home and had a clear view of her car from where she was sitting inside the house.
She witnessed Sullivan approach her car and attempt to open the door, however it was locked.
The lady walked outside as Sullivan began to walk away and yelled at him, “oi I saw that”.
Police prosecutor sergeant Heather Whiting said the defendant turned around yelled at the victim “white slag”, “f--king bitch”, “f--king c--t” and “racist bitch”.
The lady responded, “I saw what you did... I’m going to call the police you mongrel”.
Sullivan turned towards the victim and yelled “I’m going to kill both of youse”.
Magistrate Peter Saggers asked the defendant what is so wrong in his life that he wants to go to jail.
Sullivan said going to jail isn’t ideal, but he is worried about breaching parole and just wants to have a fresh start.
He was given a recorded conviction and six months imprisonment with immediate parole.
High on meth and driving during the middle of the day, the sight of a police RBT in Roma sent Jack Laurie Sheahan into a panic before he made a “hopeless” attempt to evade officers.
On Tuesday September 29, the court heard police officers intercepted Sheahan, 22, driving a white Toyota HiLux along Currey St at 12.25pm on August 23.
Police prosecutor sergeant Caroline Boodnikoff said as police approached, the defendant exited his car and crawled under the rear of it.
Police waited for Sheahan to crawl out before pulling him out.
Officers asked whether he had consumed any illicit drugs in the last two weeks to which he said he hadn’t.
He was asked to perform a roadside drug test and acted confused before eventually complying.
A short time later, Sheahan returned positive result for illicit drugs and he was taken back to the Roma police station.
Sheahan pleaded guilty to drug driving and Magistrate Peter Saggers fined the him $500 and disqualified him from driving for three months.
The conviction was recorded.
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