Wellington Point man Damien Anthony Ortlipp, 19, evades police after 60 metre burnout

A hoon has been fined an excruciating amount and had his pride and joy seized after endangering a community which has become so fearful of high-speed antics it has armed itself with mass surveillance, a court has heard.

A hoon has been fined an excruciating amount and had his pride and joy seized after endangering a community which has become so fearful of high-speed antics it has armed itself with mass surveillance, a court has heard.

Supported at Cleveland Magistrates Court by his grandfather, Wellington Point man Damien Anthony Ortlipp, pleaded guilty to a count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle and an evasion offence.

Warned by Magistrate Deborah Vasta that he was in for “a lot of pain”, Ortlipp was fined $6,892, had his pride and joy $8,000 black Ford Falcon ute seized and was disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.

The court was told under new laws introduced to combat hooning, any person who evades police faces a mandatory minimum fine of $6,892 or 50 days in prison.

The court heard the first-year electrician apprentice – now unemployed due to the loss of his licence – executed a 60 metre burnout at 8pm on March 13 on Old Cleveland Rd East in Wellington Point.

Police heard the excessive revving of his ute, amplified by an aftermarket exhaust, from the Wellington Point IGA, according to the prosecution.

Despite a lights-and-sirens display from following police, Ortlipp sped away at high speed, with officers forced to abandon the pursuit in accordance with laws introduced to keep the community safe.

The prosecution said Ortlipp was observed crossing a solid line, forcing another vehicle to take evasive action, before spinning his wheels at a roundabout as he evaded police for a second time during the attempted intercept.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Angela Tetley said Ortlipp’s was the exact case for the new legislation.

“There are ministerial (investigations) addressed to the area,” Sgt Tetley said.

“So many members of the community have put in their own CCTV as they (hoons) drive into the Wellington Point Reserve.

“A lot of the footage we receive now is from members of the community.

“The legislation has been specifically designed exactly for the defendant and we had to suspend the pursuit because he was placing other members of the community in danger.

“There needs to be a general deterrence.”

Damian Anthony Ortlipp evaded police after doing a burnout in Wellington Point, Cleveland Magistrates Court heard. Picture: Facebook

The court heard the offending came after Ortlipp was sentenced for doing a burnout in February in front of a crowd of 30-40 spectators.

Defence solicitor Tanya Dower said her client faced an “absolutely crushing” sentence with which he was being an example of.

She said Ortlipp’s offending had come at “huge cost” to him after a “ridiculous split-second decision” that left him sobbing in a laneway after the evasion.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta attributed some of the man’s impetuous behaviour to his young age and emphasised the dangers to the community inherent in a police chase.

“That is why the government has smacked you into next week,” she said

“You have a lot of pain coming your way.

“The public is really sick of it (hooning). Thank god you didn’t kill anyone. Your parents aren’t visiting your grave.”