Elderly man run down by reckless driver

LESS than a fortnight after being sentenced for threatening to kill an off-duty policeman, a man has been jailed for running down an elderly man with his car.

LESS than a fortnight after being sentenced for threatening to kill an off-duty policeman, a Warwick man has been jailed - this time for running down an elderly man with his car.

Travis Jack Torrisi-McKay was placed on a suspended jail sentenced and given another chance in the community earlier this month for his involvement in the assault and harassment of a Warwick police officer.

The 22-year-old was one of a group of offenders who went to the victim's house in the middle of the night and terrorised the officer and his family.

Torrisi-McKay was responsible for damaging the policeman's car and fence and threatening to burn down his house and kill him.

Just 11 days after declaring himself a changed man to the magistrate, Torrisi-McKay ploughed down an elderly man who chastised him about using a wrong exit.

The Warwick Magistrates Court this week heard the 22-year-old became involved in an altercation with the older man while visiting a resident of a Warwick Caravan Park.

At some point, Torrisi-McKay got in his vehicle and angrily told the older man if he didn't move he would run him over.

Police Prosecutor Ken Wiggan said the Warwick man then accelerated his vehicle heavily, hitting the older man and running over his legs.

The court further heard Torrisi-McKay then collided with a small tree, reversed his car and then spun his wheels as he exited the carpark. The victim was taken to hospital with injuries to his legs and elbows.

Fortunately, he escaped serious injuries.

Torrisi-Mckay was taken into custody later that day and charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, assault occasioning bodily harm and unlicensed driving.

After spending four days in jail, Torrisi-McKay this week pleaded guilty to all three charges, with Magistrate Graham Lee ordering he be put behind bars.

"You seem to be attracting trouble wherever you go, and I agree with the submission that jail is the only answer," Mr Lee said.

Torrisi-McKay was sentenced to 12 months jail, with a parole release date set for January 24.

He was also disqualified from holding a licence for six months.