Gladstone teenage hoon Jacob Kirwan hit with $16k in fines
An unemployed Central Queensland teenage hoon has been hit with a massive $16,130 in fines - but it was better than the alternative.
Police & Courts
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A teenage Central Queensland hoon has been hit with a whopping $16,130 in fines after speeding away from police twice in a matter of days.
Jacob Simon John Kirwan, 19, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Wednesday to evasion at night and evasion.
The court heard Kirwan’s offences happened two days apart.
On the night of May 26, police were on patrol at Gladstone’s Rocky Glen Hotel carpark when they saw Kirwan in the driver’s seat of his Ford Falcon.
Officers heard him yell at a passenger to get back in the vehicle.
Police drove towards Kirwan’s car and activated lights and sirens, but he accelerated onto the Dawson Highway.
The court heard Kirwan’s car produced smoke and he almost lost control of it, which resulted in police terminating their attempted intercept.
Then on May 28, police were patrolling West Gladstone when they saw Kirwan driving and again they activated lights and sirens.
The court heard that Kirwan accelerated away “at high speed” and again caused his wheels to smoke.
Kirwan only had one prior entry on his traffic history.
Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd submitted for three months’ jail with parole eligibility after 50 days served.
Solicitor Stephen White said Kirwan had a “terrible upbringing” and completed Year 7 before dropping out of school in Year 8.
Mr White said Kirwan had previously worked in labouring jobs and at times had been homeless.
He said Kirwan was currently unemployed but was living with a friend of his mother’s who had “taken him in” and given him stable accommodation.
That woman was in court to support Kirwan.
Mr White said Kirwan was “very remorseful for his actions.”
Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined Kirwan $16,130 ($8065 for each of the evasions) and he was also disqualified from driving for two years for each offence.
Ms Buchanan said given Kirwan's circumstances, he would be paying the fines off for "a very long time."
No convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Gladstone teenage hoon Jacob Kirwan hit with $16k in fines
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