Notorious Gold Coast prankster Willem Powerfish ‘genuinely f---ensorry’ for boat ramp stunt

He’s notorious for his fishing pranks while wearing skin-tight Lycra. Now Willem Powerfish has apologised over a social media stunt that landed him in hot water with police.

A prankster Gold Coast fisherman facing a $1 million fine and up to seven years’ jail for his latest outrageous social media stunt has broken his silence to say he’s ‘genuinely f---en sorry’.

Willem Ungermann, known as Willem Powerfish to his 740,000 social media fans, is notorious for his YouTube videos in which he pranks local fishermen while dressed in skin-tight Lycra.

But police failed to find his latest prank funny, hitting him with five charges after he sank his boat and car in the Tweed River, allegedly causing a fuel spill that had to be cleaned up by a Hazmat team.

Willem Ian Ungermann, also known as Willem Powerfish, will face Tweed Court next week after being charged by police while filming a YouTube video.

A viral video of the incident shows him jackknifing a boat trailer several times while an unwitting and stressed-out bystander tries to help.

Court documents reveal Ungermann told police: “My gumboot slipped and I accidentally hit the accelerator.”

In a YouTube video posted this week, Ungermann said he had been “laying low” ahead of his next court date next week, but wanted to update his followers.

He said the media was “hyping up” the prospect of him being hit with a $1 million fine for environmental damage or even going to jail?

Social media star Willem Powerfish, aka Willem Ungermann

“The big question is, is any of this possible?” he said. “To put it simple, yes it is possible. They’re (the maximum) penalties for these charges. Will it happen? I highly doubt it.

“I’m not BP or f---en Caltex and I’ve a f---en container ship that I’ve just dumped on the coral reef. I’m a bloke that’s dressed in skin-tight Lycra with man boobs that’s reversed a car and a little boat into the river.

“Was it a bad thing to do? Yes it f---en was. Have I learned my lesson? Yes I f---en have. Am I sorry? Yes, I’m genuinely f---ing sorry.

Willem Ungermann, better known as Willem Powerfish to his fans, leaving Tweed Heads Local Court with defence lawyer Corey Cullen. Picture: Jodie Callcott.

“I should have thought before I acted and I didn’t, and these are the consequences that I will suffer for those actions. I’m not going to sit here and whinge about it, because I created all this.

“I didn’t use my head then but I’m using my head now and I think that’s what f …. g counts.”

Ungermann said his lawyer ‘Bluey’ could not guarantee that he would not do jail time.

“Am I scared? Yes, of course,” he said.

Social media prankster Willem Powerfish reels in fans hook, line and sinker.

“Look, if the judge is having a bad day, they can do whatever the hell they want.”

Ungermann says he’s donated tens of thousands of dollars he has earned through selling merchandise to charity and has many loyal fans.

Originally published as Notorious Gold Coast prankster Willem Powerfish ‘genuinely f---ensorry’ for boat ramp stunt