Lachlan Trewin: Lismore teen in court for burnouts, police chase

A young dad has been castigated in court for his “reprehensible” driving antics, which included burnouts, a police chase and a crash on a busy Lismore street.

A Lismore teen has been labelled a “menace” who acted as though he was in the Fast and the Furious franchise after his burnouts and subsequent crash landed him before court.

Lachlan Trewin, 18, appeared in Lismore Local Court on Monday for not stopping and driving dangerously in a police pursuit, driving a motor vehicle in a disqualification period and prolonged loss of traction.

The court heard Trewin started a Junction St burnout witnessed by police about 6.50pm on November 12, 2021.

When Trewin saw police, rather than stop, he completed the burnout and accelerated into Molesworth St.

He narrowly missed a male biker as he drove at speeds that well exceeded the 50km/h limit before his tyre blew on the Bruxner Hwy and he crashed the car, according to court documents.

After the crash, Trewin ran from police and hid in the bushes near the bank of Wilsons River bank, close to the Keen St baseball fields.

Solicitor Natasha Wood said the crash was aggravated by the fact there were a number of people standing around afterwards.

Ms Wood said Trewin came from a “significantly traumatic” background, which included seeing his mum use heroin from a young age.

She said the dad of a 19-month-old daughter struggled with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression.

She said he had struggled to access mental health services during Covid-19.

“He told me driving calms him down which is why essentially he was driving on this occasion,” she said.

She said the car was loaned to him by a friend.

Magistrate Michael Dakin noted Trewin had only ever held a learner’s licence.

Mr Dakin was incredulous as he detailed the extent of Trewin’s offending from a person he deemed “should not be anywhere near a motor vehicle”.

“It’s good luck rather than good management that there wasn’t catastrophic consequences,” he said.

“He’s a menace.

“It’s a great deal of danger to other members of the public and to himself.”

Mr Dakin said a community corrections order was not suitable for Trewin’s “reprehensible” behaviour.

“Where did you think you were? The Fast and the Furious?” he said.

“A public street where other people have got a right to be, sees the police and doesn’t stop, and makes it worse by accelerating the vehicle more harshly.”

Mr Dakin convicted Trewin on all three counts and sentenced him to a seven-month intensive corrections order for the police pursuit.

Trewin was also placed on a two-year community correction order for driving while disqualified and he was convicted with no further penalty for the loss of traction.

Trewin was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and complete a driver education program.

He will also be disqualified from driving for three years.