Teen’s vicious train station attack, dangerous joyride

A violent young prisoner showed little remorse as he was jailed for a vicious train station assault over drugs, and a crash which injured another driver.

Lleyton John Jones, 18, was jailed for a vicious train station assault and for dangerously driving a stolen ute, which he crashed into a van before fleeing police.

A TEENAGER showed little remorse as he was jailed for a vicious train station assault over drugs, and a crash which injured another driver.

Magistrate Maxine Baldwin said Lleyton John Jones would become “just another statistic of another Aboriginal kid in custody”, and urged he connect with his family, culture and community.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard Jones was driving a stolen Holden Rodeo when he tried to overtake a van, lost control and crashed. He and another fled into the Maroochy River, but were arrested when they returned to shore.

Jones said he “could not live with himself” if the crash had killed his passenger.

But when asked if he should have to pay back the driver of the van he had damaged, Jones simply said “no”.

CHP Services transport manager Lee Hopkins' van is still off the road after a teenager driving a stolen ute lost control and smashed it off the road.

Jones had spent two months’ in custody before he was sentenced for the driving charges and for breaching court orders.

He was also sentenced on for an assault occasioning bodily harm in company committed at the Nambour Transit Centre on April 19.

Police prosecutor Phillip Stephens told the court the assault was a drawn-out, serious, random act of violence against a 16-year-old victim.

Sergeant Stephens said the boy had told Jones and another he did not have any weed.

“(Jones) said ‘should I just hit him now?’, then repeatedly punched the victim about the head with a clenched fist,” Sgt Stephens said. The victim’s face was cut and his nose bled.

On Tuesday, Jones was sentenced to a one-year jail term for the train-station attack and nine months’ jail for the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle in Diddillibah. He is eligible for parole on October 9.

Lleyton John Jones, 18, was jailed for a vicious train station assault and for dangerously driving a stolen ute, which he crashed into a van before fleeing police.

He also received nine months’ jail suspended for two years for the unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and lesser concurrent jail terms for disqualified driving, failing to appear in court and breaching orders.

His licence was disqualified for two years.

Once released, Sergeant Stephens said Jones could engage with Cultivating Culture, an eight-week program available to young, indigenous offenders.