Jack Hart Holswilder sentenced for CBD taxi theft after Macca’s drive-thru arrest

A quick Macca’s drive-thru run has landed a taxi thief in jail for eight months after he was tracked by a satellite and a dog.

A man who assaulted a taxi driver, stole his taxi and drove to a Pooraka McDonald’s where he was arrested in the drive-thru lane will spend more than eight months in prison.

On May 28 Taperoo man Jack Hart Holswilder appeared before Magistrate Melanie Burton in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to learn how long he would spend in prison.

The 39-year-old had pleaded guilty to assault, driving a motor vehicle without consent and property damage and breaching a suspended sentence bond after the theft of a taxi in the CBD in March.

The court heard he was on a bond at the time for 15 charges including aggravated assault, property damage, theft and indecent behaviour.

Jacke Hart Holswilder has been jailed for eight months. Picture: Facebook

The court previously heard Holswilder, who was unrepresented, did not want to seek legal advice before entering his guilty pleas and pre-emptively admitted to breaching the bond for his suspended sentence.

Holswilder was arrested after he hailed a taxi on King William St looking to head to Hindley St on Sunday, March 3, and reacted violently to being asked about payment by the driver.

The court heard Holswilder got aggressive and punched the driver to the left side of his body and attempted to continue to assault him as he got out.

The driver was uninjured by the attack.

The male driver remained in possession of the electronic key fob, but the car was still running as Holswilder slid over the centre console and drove off.

Holswilder was arrested in the drive thru lane of a McDonald’s in Pooraka. Picture: Facebook

Police tracked the vehicle via GPS to Main North Rd where it stopped at McDonald’s in Pooraka.

Police, along with police dog Chaos, arrived at the scene and found the vehicle and Holswilder in the drive-through lane.

The court heard the eftpos machine in the taxi had been damaged and the computer screen removed to expose wiring behind the dashboard.

Damages were sought by the owner for the repairs.

Ms Burton sentenced him to serve the remaining two months and one day of his suspended sentence after his admission to breaching his bond.

Holswilder was further sentenced to six months and 18 days imprisonment for the taxi theft incident.

The sentences are to be served cumulatively, bringing the total sentence to eight months and 19 days imprisonment.

Originally published as Jack Hart Holswilder sentenced for CBD taxi theft after Macca’s drive-thru arrest