‘Hoon central’: Magistrate warns street racers they will be caught

A Brisbane magistrate says his district is “hoon central’’, but has warned street racers they will be caught and lose their licences after the latest incident at a notorious southwest venue.

A Logan teen has been disqualified from driving and copped a steep fine after a covert police night vision camera nabbed him — twice — at a notorious street racing venue.

The Viking St, Wacol address, on a quiet industrial estate cul-de-sac, is still popular with hoons despite a bystander having their leg amputated in an horrific (unrelated) hit and run last year.

Browns Plains teen Jayden Stephen Murray, 18, a road construction worker, pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle on August 21 and again on September 4, both times just before midnight.

A crowd had gathered to watch as his car spun around, with the tyres spinning so fast smoke was emitted, Richlands Magistrate Court heard.

Jayden Stephen Murray, 18 (centre) leaves Richlands Magistrates Court.

The police prosecutor said officers recorded the event and later attended Murray’s home where he admitted to being in control of the car on the two occasions.

“A silver Ford Falcon could be seen with its rear tyres spinning, thick plumes of smoke and loss of traction,’’ he said.

Murray’s lawyer said the teen was embarrassed by his actions, had no similar prior offences on his record and only two minor speeding offences, the last of which was in May, 2020.

He had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and co-operated with police.

Magistrate Stuart Shearer, who has dealt with multiple hooning offences in the past year alone, said “this district is hoon central in Queensland’’.

“An insurer is entitled to know what he did. This was not a one-off act of idiocy,’’ Mr Shearer said.

“These things are organised, presumably by text (or social media) — hundreds of people don’t just turn up by accident.

“Viking St is just the latest location.

“The reality is this is unlawful behaviour and public roads are not a racetrack.’’

An image from one of the police low-light cameras.

Mr Shearer, who has previously told offenders that the State Government had mandated that hoons must lose their licences, told Murray he needed a lesson to “wake up to himself’’.

He recorded a conviction, imposed a $2000 fine and disqualified Murray from driving for 12 months for the August incident and for 15 months for the September incident.

The case comes after police revealed in December last year that they had rolled out new “hoon cameras’’ across all Queensland police regions as part of an operation to crack down on reckless driving.

The hi-tech night vision cameras are hidden in trees, bushes and on roofs.

Police later catch up with the offenders at their homes or workplaces after identifying their cars using the cameras.

Fulcrum St in Richlands, Viking, Formation St in Gailes and Jalrock Pl in Carole Park are well-known street racing hot spots.

Nearby Sumner is also popular with hoons.

In January Jarrod Mark Tischler pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle at an illegal meet at Viking St on September 20 last year in which a bystander lost his leg. His car was not involved in the hit and run but cameras recorded his presence at Viking St.

A huge crowd desperately called for help after the horrific hit and run.

Raymond Rawi Katu walked free from Richlands Magistrates Court, also in January, after facing a string of traffic offences including relating to the hit and run.

He received an intensive correction order, a $400 fine and was disqualified from driving for four years.

The court heard Katu, who was drunk and stoned, ran into a Crestmead man after his passenger grabbed the wheel of his Volkswagen Passat.

The victim, 23, was thrown on the bonnet but Katu drove off with bodily parts still on his car, the court heard.

Tischler said outside court, after his appearance in January, that he saw the incident and used his car to block the cul-de-sac as dozens of horrified onlookers called for an ambulance.

In sentencing Tischler, Mr Shearer said: “I’ve been dealing with this for years. First people turned up to Colbart St, then they moved to Formation St and now it’s Viking St.

“But the courts have been very consistent — you will lose your licence for 12 months for a first offence.’'

He fined Tischler $1500, recorded a conviction and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.