Blake Jennings-Davey: Caboolture man jailed for burnout which critically injured five-year-old boy

A father who had to perform CPR on his five-year-old son after the boy was struck by a tyre flung from a car doing a burnout has shared his message for the driver after the man was jailed.

A father has described the horror of performing CPR on his five-year-old son who lay lifeless on a footpath after being struck by a tyre which flew off a car during a burnout.

Blake Jennings-Davey, 19, was driving a deliberately modified car and performing a burnout when the left rear wheel flew off his car and struck the boy on King St, Caboolture in November 2020.

The boy was placed in an induced coma after suffering a traumatic brain injury, lacerations to his spleen and liver and other abdominal injuries after being pinned under the tyre, and he spent two months in hospital.

The Brisbane District Court heard witnesses had seen Jennings-Davey, then aged 18, driving dangerously in an industrial area shortly before the accident, performing multiple burnouts and fishtails on November 25.

Jennings-Davey left the industrial area and travelled through an intersection, drifting sideways and almost colliding with another road user before stopping at a red light on King St about 4.30pm.

The court heard that when the light turned green the teenager revved his engine loudly, his wheels “screeched and spun” and he took off at speed, leaving five-metre-long rubber marks on the street.

A witness saw the left rear tyre “wobble” before flying off the car and rolling towards a footpath where the five-year-old boy was walking with his father and three-year-old brother.

The scene of the car accident in Caboolture on November 25, 2020. Picture: Josh Woning

In a victim impact statement, the boy’s father said he witness his son being “thrown” against the sidewalk and pinned under the wheel.

He said he removed the tyre and recalled seeing the boy turning blue and said he was faced with the “horrifying” responsibility of performing CPR on his own son.

“No parent should ever have to experience that,” he said.

The father described watching the life in his son’s “little eyes dim”.

“I had to listen to the unnatural sounds of his rib cage while carrying out chest compressions.”

He said what should have been another typical day turned into the worse day of the family’s lives and led to months of recovery and rehabilitation for the boy, who had to relearn how to walk and talk.

The father said the boy will have to live “forever” with a traumatic brain injury.

Blake Jennings-Davey, who conducted a burnout at Caboolture that left a five-year-old child fighting for his life.

The court heard that Jennings-Davey offered no help to the father, but walked over to collect the tyre and wheel nuts off the ground

“He seemed more concerned about stepping over my son to get his precious tyre,” he told the court.

“I don’t know whether (Jennings-Davey) will learn from his mistakes but I hope it is his final wake up call he needs … actions have consequences.”

The court heard an off-duty nurse was on scene at the time and rushed over to find the boy “lifeless” with no pulse.

She opened his airway and helped perform CPR until paramedics arrived.

After the accident Jennings-Davey told a nearby security guard that if he “had a jack” he would leave, the court heard.

“I just want to go,” he said.

Jennings-Davey faced the court for sentencing on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing grievous bodily harm, driving without a licence – disqualified by court order, driving a safe but otherwise defective vehicle, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving with registration plates belonging to another vehicle.

Defence barrister Tom Polley said Jennings-Davey was “devastated” by what had happened and knew he was “solely responsible” for the harm caused to the young boy and his family.

Friends and family of Blake Jennings-Davey convicted of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm, District Court, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Polley said his client was “horrified” by the thought he hurt somebody and that the accident was a “wake up call.”

He said at the time of the offending Jennings-Davey had been feeling “lost and alone” and acted out in an inappropriate manner

The court heard Jennings-Davey had his Ford Falcon deliberately modified to easily lose traction when turning corners and the rear tyres were overinflated and void of tread.

A Forensic Crash Unit inspector concluded the wheel came off due to the wheel nuts not being tightened, excessive wheel spin and the modification.

Judge Michael Burnett gave Jennings-Davey a three and a half year head sentence with parole eligibility set for February 2023.

He declared two days of pre-sentence custody as time served.

The teenager was also disqualified from driving for a total of five years.

Speaking to media outside the courthouse, the young boy’s mother and father said it had been an “intense” day but they were glad to have attended and given their son a voice.

“We finally have this period of closure after such a long time,” the boy’s mum said.

“We’re thrilled that we can move on with the next chapter of (our son’s) rehabilitation.”

The boy’s dad said their son was “determined” and had given his recovery everything he had.

They said the he still had some recovery ahead of him and had learning difficulties but that he had this year gone into Grade 2 and was loving seeing his friends and playing sport.

His mum said they won’t know the full extent of his acquired brain injury until he reaches adulthood.

The father also commented on the sentence handed down to Jennings-Davey and said they don’t wish any harm on him.

“From everything we had heard there was a chance he may have walked out of here today so the fact that he is serving time for it ... I mean we didn’t want to throw this guy in jail, not for the rest of his life, but we wanted something that represented what he had done to my son, because my son will forever live with this.

“The ability for the judge to actually give him some time in custody is a godsend, but I just hope that once he gets out he is able to rehabilitate himself.”

“That he continues to work, and be a part of society and really a good community member because that’s, you know, all any of us need to be doing,” the mum added.

“And from what we heard in court I think that’s really achievable so I think it was a good outcome.”

She said she felt for the teenager‘s mother who was in court and said she thinks the time in custody will be the wake up call he needs.