Fireworks incident during joy ride lands two young tradies in court

Two contractors who were travelling together in a ute were busted after one of them started throwing coloured fireworks out the window, a court has heard.

Two young men who went on a drunken joy ride while throwing fireworks out the window have narrowly escaped an entry on their rap sheet.

Construction business director Lachlan Jack Hardman, 23, and Matthew Lyndan Pilecki, 22, both faced the Gladstone Magistrates Court on November 29.

Hardman pleaded guilty to possessing explosives without authority.

Pilecki pleaded guilty to driving over the general alcohol limit, but the prosecution dropped his explosives charge.

Both men were travelling in a white Mitsubishi Triton with Pilecki driving and Hardman, a passenger, throwing coloured fireworks out the window on November 2.

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said Hardman was found in possession of a number of coloured fireworks on the day.

Mr Boyd said Pilecki blew an alcohol reading of .08.

Hardman got a visit from the police on November 8 when he told them he couldn’t remember anything and he was drunk, the court heard.

Matthew Lyndan Pilecki (left) was drink driving while Lachlan Jack Hardman (right) was throwing coloured fireworks out the ute. PHOTO: Social Media

Their defence solicitor Brooke Winter said Hardman and Pilecki were cooperative with police.

“[Pilecki’s] not the type of character that will ever be before the court again,” Mr Winter said, tendering two character references.

Mr Winter asked magistrate Bevan Manthey not to record a conviction because it could impact the young men’s ability to be allowed into military bases for their work.

But Mr Manthey was cautious about agreeing to this for Hardman because he already had the benefit of no conviction recorded for previous marijuana offences.

He described Hardman’s explanations as a ‘piss weak excuse’ and ‘I hear it all too often’.

Mr Manthey said the only thing going for Hardman was that his charge was not indictable.

“It’s not a nice place coming before court,” Mr Manthey told Pilecki.

Hardman was issued an $800 fine with Pilecki fined $600 and disqualified from driving for five months, however, he was granted a restricted licence.

Mr Manthey warned Pilecki there would be at least a further three month disqualification if he wasn’t following the conditions of his work licence.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Fireworks incident during joy ride lands two young tradies in court