Jake Anthony Morgan pleads guilty to dangerous operation of vehicle

A young stay-at-home dad, from Capalaba, has been sentenced to “repay society” after his dangerous hooning, where his smokey vehicle spun out of control near spectators, landed him before the court.

A Capalaba stay at home dad’s smokey burnout, where he “spun out of control”, has ended in court, with the magistrate teaching him a serious lesson into the shocking increase of road fatalities.

A Capalaba stay-at-home dad’s smokey burnout, where he “spun out of control”, has ended in court, with the magistrate showing a graphic video into the shocking increase of road fatalities.

Jake Anthony Morgan, 28, pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle and participating in group act for racing, burnout or hooning.

A police prosecutor said that on September 2, 2023 police obtained footage of a large hooning event at Pinkenba.

“At 9.30pm there were a large number of spectators gathered around a white Nissan Silvia Coupe,” the Sergeant said.

“The male driver drives out and large blows of smoke are seen from the rear tyres and it spins around out of control.

“He sustained a loss of traction and drove close to spectators,” she said.

The court heard the driver, identified as Morgan, spun the car at 360 degrees in a cloud of smoke.

“The defendant was identified as the registered owner and told police it was a ‘stupid thing to do’ after being egged on by his friends,” the Sergeant said.

Morgan told police he had attended the event with the intentions to spectate and that he was not aware watching hooning was an offence, the court was told.

The Sergeant said Morgan’s number plates were confiscated for 90 days and the maximum penalty for hooning is three years’ imprisonment.

Defence lawyer Lyle Parker said Morgan was a stay-at-home dad.

“You can see he has no previous history,” Mr Parker said.

“This is a one-off event and he’s clearly an enthusiast,” he said.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said Morgan should repay his debt to society.

“The numbers of road fatalities are increasing and I know in your head you think you’re doing this safely, someone even pulled a trailer blocking access to the road,” Ms Vasta said.

“What I hate are the dirty marks hooning leaves on the roads,” she said.

Ms Vasta flicked off the courtroom lights to show Morgan a “sad and graphic video” to impress upon him the consequences of reckless driving.

He was sentenced to 40 hours of community services and a six month driving ban.

Convictions were recorded.