Burnout hoon puts pregnant partner and unborn baby at risk

A southeast Queensland magistrate has slammed a hoon caught doing burnouts in his Commodore at 3am with his pregnant girlfriend in the passenger seat. 

A HOON caught doing burnouts at 3am with his pregnant girlfriend in the car was burned by an Ipswich magistrate when he faced court over his antics.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess did not mince words with Jacob Daley, telling him he put the lives of his girlfriend and their unborn baby at risk.

In sentencing him to two jail terms Ms Sturgess said Daley accrued 35 demerit points in just 12 months.

"You are clearly not a person who should be on the roads," Ms Sturgess told him.

Jacob Daniel Daley, 27, a panel beater/tyre fitter from Marsden, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to two charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

The offences were committed at 3am in Enterprise St at Richlands on April 28; and 9.30pm in Fairbank Place at Swanbank on May 29.

"At 27, you are well past the age of behaving in a reckless and stupid fashion," Ms Sturgess said.

"The (previous) suspended sentence has done nothing to moderate your behaviour.

"You are 27, not 17. Your traffic history appalling."

Hoon driver Jacob Daley (left) leaves Ipswich Magistrates Court.

Ms Sturgess slammed Daley for driving dangerously with his pregnant girlfriend in the car.

"It was entirely irresponsible of both of you putting that unborn baby at risk with this hooning behaviour," she said.

Prosecutor Acting Sergeant Bernard Elmore said Daley's driving history was "less than envious" with 12 pages of traffic offences.

At the time of his offending he was on a suspended jail sentence for an unrelated assault.

Police came across Daley in Richlands at 3am doing burnouts in a cul-de-sac in a green Holden Commodore.

The burnouts were described as high speed and protracted, with one lasting 25 seconds with three full circles drifting, tyres screeching, and poorly controlled.

His pregnant girlfriend was a passenger.

The Swanbank incident occurred after police first came across 30 vehicles and their occupants in the cul-de-sac at 8.45pm.

The people and cars left but when police returned at 9.30pm officers caught Daley driving a ute and losing traction, causing the ute to skip.

Police sought two concurrent jail sentences of four months on each dangerous driving charge.

Sgt Elmore said Daley no longer had the benefit of youth to be considered in penalty.

Defence lawyer Brianna McKenzie said Daley instructed he had a difficult upbringing and succumbed to alcohol and substance abuse.

She said he had two children, with a third on the way with a new partner, and was described as being a loving and supportive father.

At the time of his reckless behaviour Ms McKenzie said Daley had left one job then found it hard to find a new one.

This caused him depression, and he "fell in with the wrong crowd".

The court was told he had since returned to his previous job and was working 60 hours a week.

Ms McKenzie said a lengthy licence disqualification would have a drastic effect on Daley.

Ms Sturgess noted Daley's record had two offences where he exceeded the speed limit by 40km/h, and by 30km/h, and for driving causing unnecessary noise and smoke.

She also noted a jail sentence in 2016 for driving when disqualified.

"This is not a one off. It seems to be a pattern of behaviour," Ms Sturgess said.

"It is a long history of refusing to abide by the road rules."

Daley was sentenced to two jail terms of four months to be served concurrently. They were added to an existing four month suspended sentence. He was given immediate parole.

Originally published as Burnout hoon puts pregnant partner and unborn baby at risk