Joey Tautuhi Maraki Tobin-Tafea: Promising young rugby player in court for dangerous driving
A talented young Logan rugby player with a “bright future” ahead of him has fronted court charged with dangerous driving and evading police.
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A talented young Logan rugby player with a “bright future” ahead of him has fronted court charged with dangerous driving and evading police.
Slacks Creek man Joey Tautuhi Maraki Tobin-Tafea, 18, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to seven charges, including dangerous operation of a vehicle, failing to comply with duties of a driver involved in a crash and evasion offence.
The court heard the teen dangerously operated a vehicle and failed to stop when directed by police on Kingston Rd in Slacks Creek on September 24 last year.
Tobin-Tafea was also unlicensed at the time and his vehicle was not registered.
During a separate incident in Shailer Park, he was charged for reversing a car when it wasn’t safe to do so and failing to stop at the scene of a crash he was involved in on September 16 last year.
Tobin-Tafea’s lawyer said his client was a talented athlete with prospects of playing professional rugby league after high school and had offers from NRL clubs.
He said Tobin-Tafea had been struggling with mental health issues during the offending.
“His mother, who’s his sole provider, suffers from terminal cancer, and in those circumstances, he’s basically turned to the wrong crowd,” he said.
“He has taken this incident to be a significant wake-up call and has found regular employment.”
Magistrate Gary Finger warned Tobin-Tafea to stop jeopardising his future.
“You are a man with a very bright future in work and in sport, and you’ve put it all in jeopardy,” he said.
“You’ve just about thrown in out the window. Let’s hope for your sake you don’t.
“You did go through a traumatic time, and this seems to be out of character for you.”
“It’s up to you now to make yourself someone your mother can be proud of rather than standing here in front of a magistrate.”
He was sentenced to 12 months probation, fined $8000 and disqualified from driving for six months.
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