LIST, MAP: Southeast Queensland hoons and racing hotspots revealed
Tens of thousands of Queensland drivers have been found guilty of driving and traffic related offences in the past year. See the full list of recently-convicted hoons and their favourite places to wreak havoc.
Logan
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New police data has revealed hooning is as rife in Queensland, with culprits filling courts and leaving road users “frightened”.
The past year has seen more than 79,000 unlawful use of vehicle and traffic related offences committed in the southeastern Queensland police area alone, up from about 77,000 in the year prior.
This surge comes following the introduction of new state laws in 2021 which enabled Queensland Police Service officers to target illegal hoon gatherings by serving notices to the owners of vehicles involved in hooning offences.
“This means if the owner of a vehicle claims they weren’t driving at the time of the offence, the onus will be on them prove it,” a QPS spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said QPS was also now using hi-tech camera technology and traffic monitoring CCTV to target mass hoon gatherings.
“Illegal hoon meets and hooning activity not only endangers the lives of the driver, but also passengers and innocent bystanders,” she said.
“The community does not accept the reckless antics of hoons and police do not tolerate anti-social and dangerous hooning behaviour in southeast Queensland neighbourhoods.”
Queensland drivers found guilty of hooning could face fines of $2875 for some offences — such as driving in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke — or $5750 for more serious offences, such as driving without due care and attention or street racing.
Queensland Police also now have the power to impound, immobilise, and confiscate vehicles involved in hooning offences.
Joshua Dean Tratford
A serial hoon was captured on eight separate videos performing burnouts with unsecured passengers in his car while dozens of spectators ran across a road, a court heard in November last year.
Loganlea man Joshua Dean Tratford, 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle in Beenleigh Magistrates Court which occurred on May 6 and 20.
The court heard he had previously received a sentence for making excessive noise while performing burnouts; his lawyer noting he knew what he was doing was wrong.
Magistrate Ronald Kilner told Tratford his “stupid behaviour” put the safety of innocent people at risk and warned jail was “not out of bounds” should he reoffend.
The Logan man was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and disqualified from driving for eight months.
Joshua James Martin
Wellington Point dad Joshua James Martin who was caught completing burnouts and creating large plumes of smoke along a busy road in March this year said his actions were a form of “mental health release”.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property in Cleveland Magistrates Court last week.
His lawyer Tanya Dower told the court he accepted his behaviour was both dangerous and stupid.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta watched video footage of Martin’s hooning in court, expressing shock at how close he was to pedestrians and powerpoles and frustration at the damage he caused.
“It’s infuriates me, all the dirty marks on the road that we all have to take care of in the next few months,” she said. “I’m hoping this has scared the absolute daylights out of you.”
She ordered Martin complete 100 hours of community service and disqualified him from driving for six months.
Jayden Stephen Murray
A teenage tradie was disqualified from driving and ordered to pay a steep fine of $2000 for participating in a notorious street racing event on two occasions.
Jayden Stephen Murray, 18, of Browns Plains pleaded guilty in Richlands Magistrates Court to two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, both of which related to him driving his car at Viking St, Wacol in a manner that caused his rear tyres to spin and “thick” plumes of smoke to form.
Crowds of “hundreds” watched on as he committed the offences.
Magistrate Stuart Shearer said the events at which Murray drove dangerously were clearly organised and unlawful.
He told the young man he needed to “wake up to himself”, recording a conviction and disqualifying him from driving for 12 months and 15 months.
Jordan Robert Melrose
A 19-year-old pet shop worker faced court in November last year for a “very disturbing” hooning incident which involved him drag racing side-by-side with another vehicle on a two-way Wellington Point road.
Kensington Grove man Jordan Robert Melrose was captured on video by a concerned resident driving his white Holden sedan in the left hand lane while a fellow hoon drove beside him into oncoming traffic and around a blind corner, Cleveland Magistrates Court heard.
Other footage from Redland City Council showed Melrose gathering with other hoons at a carpark.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta noted residents in the area where he offended were becoming increasingly distressed.
“It is really disturbing,” she said.
“I have a lot of sympathy for the people at this street.”
Melrose was ultimately fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for the minimum mandatory six months.
Byron Alan Rennie Foster
A young dad who grew up in Logan found himself behind bars late last year after leading police and an ambulance crew on a wild chase in the Lockyer Valley.
Byron Alan Rennie Foster, 19, of Russell Island pleaded guilty to 10 charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, wilfully making unnecessary noise or smoke, and three counts of evasion in Beenleigh Magistrates Court.
The court heard an ambulance crew was so concerned about his manner of driving they tried to intercept him, to no avail.
When police arrived on scene, Foster “fishtailed” his vehicle in a 360-degree turn, smashing into the side of a concrete wall before driving away. His lawyer said he had been drinking in excess at the time of the offence.
Foster was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment to be suspended after serving 50 days for an operational period of three years and was disqualified from driving for more than 10 years.
Zane Timothy James Dixon
A car meet of more than 100 people and vehicles at Yatala last year landed one alleged attendee and serial hoon in court charged with a spate of offences.
Zane Timothy James Dixon, 23, of Nundah in Brisbane, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to 65 charges including six counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and 12 counts of driving while disqualified.
The court heard he had a 17-page traffic history and had been in custody from September 12 last year to March 14 this year, when he appeared in court for sentencing.
Magistrate Terry Duroux sentenced Dixon to 15 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole release and declared the 183 days he spent in presentence custody time served.
The young man was also disqualified from driving for four years.
Michael Francis Newell
A magistrate unleashed on a 23-year-old for his “absolutely d***head behaviour”, telling him his hooning was the worst she had ever seen.
Belmont man Michael Francis Newell pleaded guilty to a string of charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving while court disqualified, driving a defective vehicle, driving while unregistered, and driving while uninsured.
The court heard the man was a “well-known” hoon and a member of two hoon groups, Infamous and Mayhem Cartel.
He was captured committing some of the offences — including performing burnouts while passengers hung out of his car — on video filmed by supporters.
Newell was sentenced to six months’ jail with parole to be granted after serving one month and was disqualified from driving for 3.5 years.
Dylan Michael Anderson
Goodna panelbeater Dylan Michael Anderson faced sentence in Richlands Magistrates Court earlier this year for a series of hooning incidents in which he narrowly avoided hitting spectators.
He pleaded guilty to six counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle relating to a number of late-night meets where people would gather to cheer and film him and others perform burnouts.
Prosecutor Sergeant Shane Stephenson said most of Anderson’s burnouts were one minute in duration and covered the streets in smoke. In one instance, he was said to have narrowly missed a gathering of people.
Anderson indicated he had since removed himself from his associates and was living with his mother.
He was ultimately fined $2500, ordered to serve 120 hours of community service, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Dylan Matthew Hall
The “young and silly” behaviour of Logan hoon Dylan Matthew Hall left him booted off the roads for nine months and $2500 poorer, a court heard in September.
The 20-year-old was caught twice by police completing burnouts at Carole Park in Ipswich and Brisbane’s Lytton industrial area. He later pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, driving when unlicensed by demerit points, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and driving unlicensed by demerits points.
In one instance, on February 14 last year, the court heard Hall was involved in a car meet of more than 100 vehicles, where he performed 360-degree burnouts and caused smoke.
Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said his client had made full and frank admissions and his offending reflected a level of immaturity.
Nathan Ronald Bork
Ipswich hoon Nathan Ronald Bork, 21, faced expensive consequences last month for his dangerous driving, which included him fishtailing, completing burnouts, and creating clouds of smoke in peak-hour traffic.
The Redbank Plains man pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to dangerous operation of a vehicle and failing to comply with a requirement to produce a vehicle after driving in such a way that left rubber marks on Redland Bay Rd at Capalaba.
The court heard a witness learner driver was “frightened” as a result of his behaviour and had to take action to avoid being hit by Bork.
Defence solicitor Devyn Wanigesekera said his client was “young and reckless” and never intended to harm anyone with his driving.
Bork was ultimately fined $4000 and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 12 months.
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