Daniel John Todd: man who organised car-cannabis trade and hit teen with a gun was on parole, court hears

A man who arranged a car and cannabis trade and then hit a teenager with a gun in a Helensvale car park was on parole, a court has heard. Read what happened here.

A man who hit a 19-year-old with a gun near a shopping centre car park, causing it to fire, was on parole at the time of the offence, a court has heard.

Daniel John Todd, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of particular conduct involving a weapon in a public place when he appeared via videolink in Southport District Court on Tuesday, April 1.

The court heard Todd told a 19-year-old man he wanted the teen to look after two cars for the day in exchange for 14 grams of cannabis on January 23, 2023.

The teen agreed to do so and met up with Todd later that day with the vehicle at the Helensvale Transport and Main Roads building’s car park, near the Helensvale Plaza Shopping Centre.

Daniel John Todd, 37, has been sentenced for particular conduct involving a weapon in a public place. Picture: QPS

When the teen left the car and approached the vehicle Todd was in to hand him the keys, Todd told him he wasn’t getting any cannabis.

Todd later pulled out a rifle from a backpack, pointed it at the teen and told him to get in the car.

The teen turned and ran but Todd swung the firearm at him, hitting him in the elbow and causing the gun to discharge.

After a public appeal, Todd was arrested by police on March 8, 2023.

Officers investigating scene after a gun went off at a car park near the Helensvale Plaza shopping centre. Picture: Keith Woods.

The court heard Todd was previously sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment with immediate parole on October 5, 2022 for a separate offence and was on parole at the time of this incident.

Crown prosecutor Jessica Guy submitted Todd’s NSW and Qld criminal history which spanned 17 years.

She said Todd has been issued a range of sentencing orders over the years including lengthy periods of imprisonment and no orders had been served to deter or rehabilitate him.

Police at the scene after Todd hit a teenager with a rifle, causing a gun to go off in a Helensvale car park. Picture: Keith Woods.

The court heard that Todd had trouble with drugs but has been participating in a suboxone program while in custody.

Ms Guy submitted the court impose a sentence no less than 12 months while Todd’s defence barrister James Feely asked for six months having regard to time in custody.

Judge Rowan Jackson KC said he was not satisfied that 12 months would adequately take into account the time served in custody, but thought six months was too short given the seriousness of the offence.

Todd was sentenced to nine months imprisonment with parole eligibility from April 1, 2025.

A conviction was recorded.