Kierryn John Platt pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle

First a female officer was struck by an open car door as a wanted Queensland man tried to getaway. Then, the police vehicle was rammed as the driver made his escape.

A female police officer was struck by the door of a moving car, which was then used to ram a police vehicle, when a tried to escape after being recognised as being wanted on a warrant.

A female police officer was struck by the door of a moving car, which was then used to ram a police vehicle, when a man tried to escape after being recognised as being wanted on a warrant.

Kierryn John Platt, 31, pleaded guilty to serious assault – obstructing police and dangerous operation of a vehicle when he faced Maryborough District Court on Thursday.

The court heard on March 3o, 2023, police were carrying out patrols in Rockhampton when they spotted Platt near a car with false number plates.

Police recognised Platt as a man who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, the court heard, and began to approach him.

Platt got into the vehicle and began to reverse out.

The officers parked their car to block Platt and stop him from leaving, then approached him and detained him to carry out a search and Platt became agitated and confrontational, claiming police were harassing him.

Platt then started his vehicle, and a female police officer opened the driver’s side door to remove him from the car.

He continued to reverse his vehicle and caught the police officer with the open door, striking her before a colleague managed to pull her out of harm’s way, the court heard.

Platt rammed into the front of the police car, causing damage, before accelerating forward and speeding away.

A warrant was issued but Platt was not located by police until December 21, 2023.

Platt, who was born in Kempsey but grew up in Sydney where he left school in Year 8, had a six-page traffic history which included fines and licence disqualifications.

The court heard he’d worked in a variety of jobs, but through his life he had been regularly employed and at the time of the offending, he was working as a carer for a friend would have work available to him upon his release.

Platt was single but had three children who he was in contact with.

Judge Carl Heaton said it was in his view a particularly aggravating circumstance that his offending involved offences against police in the execution of their duty and that he fled the scene.

After committing these crimes, Platt himself had been involved in a high-speed collision in which he had suffered serious injuries to his legs and required surgery and months of rehabilitation, Judge Heaton noted.

“I would have thought your experience in that regard would demonstrate the seriousness of the irresponsible use of a motor vehicle, particularly involving speed, particularly driving dangerously the way you did on the occasion of the offences.”
Platt had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was 21 and had been prescribed medication to treat the condition, Judge Heaton said.

“Your management though of that illness has not always been entirely responsible and at times you have managed it in combination with illicit substances, which can only have exacerbated your predicament.

“I’m told now you’re more appropriately medicated and responsible with your approach to that and you have benefited from the oversight of the mental health unit while in custody.”
Judge Heaton said Platt had made good use of his time in custody and had worked while behind bars.

He said the 201 days Platt had spent in presentence custody would be taken into account while sentencing.

Platt was sentenced to two years on probation and his licence was disqualified for six months.

Convictions were recorded.

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Originally published as Kierryn John Platt pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle