Joel Erwin, Luke Erwin: YouTube pranksters sentenced
Two so-called internet stars have struck unusual poses for the camera outside court. It came after a magistrate gave them a dressing down, while sentencing the pair for leaving a man with tinnitus and another woman fearful for her safety.
Central Sydney
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A magistrate dished out some comedy tips to a pair of YouTube pranksters as she sentenced them for leaving a man with tinnitus.
Magistrate Kate Thompson described Joel and Luke Erwin’s internet pranks as “low level comedy,” adding: “After this incident, you will hopefully improve the value of your comedy”.
She added: “Pranksters normally direct it at themselves … (Not) turn it around at the unsuspecting public.”
The pranks, filmed for their social media channels, include tickling shoppers with feather dusters, letting off airhorns and throwing eggs in supermarkets.
The court heard Luke, 25, and Joel, 27, from Campbelltown, make, a living off being “social media stars” with each earning around $1000 a week.
Luke’s YouTube videos have been viewed almost 32 million times, while Joel’s have racked up almost 20 million clicks.
However, they ran into trouble with the law when an unsuspecting man was left with tinnitus when blasted with an airhorn 30cm from his face.
It was uploaded to Luke’s 317,000 Instagram followers.
They both received a 12 month Community Corrections Order for the offence.
Luke, who was holding the airhorn, also received 75 hours of community service while Joel, who was filming, received a $400 fine.
Luke “didn’t know that walking up to someone and airhorning them is common assault … but I’ve given him legal advice about what’s allowed,” solicitor Rabia Sabbagh said
Joel, he added, “now knows that it is not OK to sneeze on passers-by in public.”
In another video the duo walked into Harbourside Shopping Centre in Darling Harbour with a green feather duster and a “Cleaning in Progress” sign.
They found a 53-year-old woman sitting on a chair outside the Ugg store and while Joel filmed, Luke held the sign in front of her and used the feather duster to begin “rubbing the victim’s left arm and shoulder several times,” agreed facts state.
“The victim felt intimidated by the assault and was unsure whether the accused and his brother intended to steal her bag or hurt her in some way,” police facts state.
Luke was given another 12 month Community Corrections Order to run concurrently and a $300 fine.
Luke was also ordered to pay $3300 in damages to a Fairfield mattress store following a prank in which he walked over the mattresses while pretending to be blind.
At an early appearance Luke pleaded guilty to two counts of malicious damage, assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm while Joel pleaded guilty to assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Mr Sabbagh told the court the pair were remorseful and said they would “abstain from filming any public pranks”.
However, as they left court a fan told them not to change.
“Keep doing what you’re doing bro,” the man told Luke.
“I’ve done seven years in jail … There’s worse things that can happen than going to jail.”
The brothers were certainly soon up to their usual antics, flipping the bird and meowing like a cat as their photos were taken outside court.
Unhappy with previous photos of themselves in the media, the brothers agreed to pose for a photo at the Downing Centre.