Matt Andrew Dunn sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court after caravan burglary in Hughenden

The man who stole a caravan from a Qld campsite while a family slept inside has been sentenced, with it being revealed he posted a video of himself with a stolen gun on social media a week prior.

The remains of a family's campsite after their car, and attached caravan, was stolen on Monday night from the Allen Terry Caravan Park in Hughenden

A family screamed for help as the caravan they were sleeping in was dragged through a campsite, as it was towed by a young man stealing their car that was chained to it.

Matt Andrew Dunn, while high on drugs and looking to fuel his habit, stole a car from a Hughenden campsite with the caravan still attached and its owners and children still inside.

The 18-year-old Mount Isa born offender appeared via video link in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning as police prosecutor Niharika Kudumula read the details of his reckless crime spree.

The worst of his offending occurred on August 19 last year when he took the spare key of a car and began driving away from the Allen Terry Caravan Park, the prosecutor said.

She said the car however was attached to a caravan that began dragging through the site causing damage to the grounds, and most shockingly still had a family sleeping inside.

“They began screaming for help to alert people as well as Dunn of their presence inside to allow them to exit,” Ms Kudumula said.

The court was told Dunn stopped the car when he realised that people were inside so they could get out, and then he continued driving through various streets in Hughenden.

The remains of a family's campsite after their car, and attached caravan, was stolen on Monday night from the Allen Terry Caravan Park in Hughenden

“Unfortunately as a result they were confined in there and being dragged through the caravan park,” the prosecutor said.

“It resulted in minor injuries to them and they sought medical treatment afterwards.”

A statement from the father and owner of the car was submitted to the court where it said he suffered from minor bruising to his arms while being inside the caravan.

Ms Kudumula said the caravan ripped out water and electrical connections, damaging an electrical connection to another side as well as a speed bump as it left the grounds.

“Witnesses saw it driving so quickly they lost sight of it,” the prosecutor said.

A week prior to the caravan theft, on his 18th birthday, Dunn broke into a shed and stole a firearm and ammunition, which the court was told came to police attention because he was seen with the weapon on an Instagram post.

In separate offending, he broke into a woman’s house twice within days of each other and stole money from her home, the court was told.

Defence lawyer Jake Donn from Legal Aid Queensland said his client’s offending could only be categorised as “opportunistic and careless”.

“It lacks any resemblance of sophistication,” he said.

“He was selling the weapons for financial gain for drugs and alcohol, and had no intention for using them in any other nature.”

Mr Donn told the court the man suffered drug and alcohol dependency from a young age after he witnessed it throughout childhood and had a father behind bars.

The remains of a family's campsite after their car, and attached caravan, was stolen on Monday night from the Allen Terry Caravan Park in Hughenden

It was said the offender had also been diagnosed with an intellectual impairment.

Magistrate Viviana Keegan said while jail was generally a last resort for young offenders, there were injuries involved and the dangerous driving was significant as he drove along multiple roads even after letting the family out of the caravan.

“The submissions are that you were scared there were cars chasing you,” Her Honour said.

However, she noted him refusing to stop still posed a risk to the public.

“The court must have regard to risk to the community,” she said.

“I consider this a very serious example of a dangerous operation because you caused significant danger, the car was stolen and you were a court ordered disqualified driver.”

She acknowledged the man had spent 153 days behind bars since being arrested for the offences and it had a “big impact” on him.

Dunn pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle, entering a dwelling to commit an offence, enter premises by break, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, wilful damage possessing explosives and driving while disqualified.

He was sentenced to 14 months jail, with the 153 days spent in pre-sentence custody declared as time already served and he was granted an immediate parole release date.

Her Honour ordered he be disqualified from driving for two years and six months. Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Matt Andrew Dunn sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court after caravan burglary in Hughenden