By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A South East Skids hoon who performed fast circle burnouts with a passenger half-out the car’s window has been told by a magistrate it’s “one of the worst acts of driving” captured by Operation Regarder police.
P-plater Jack Stacey, 21, told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 25 July that he couldn’t remember the identity of the rear male passenger during the 20-second burnouts – despite the passenger apparently filmed hanging out of the car at two separate meets.
The passenger high-fived bystanders as Stacey’s 2012 Falcon exited the skid bowl in Licola Crescent, Dandenong South, about 1.08am on 9 December.
At the time there were more than 100 drivers and spectators lining the public road bowl.
On viewing covert video, magistrate Jack Vandersteen observed a passenger also hung out of Stacey’s car window during a different South East Skids meet at the same place on 18 December.
“It looks like the same person.”
He pressed Stacey’s lawyer on why the accused couldn’t remember “his mate’s” identity.
Covert video captures hoon’s dangerous stunt.
“I’m not asking him to name him, but I want to know who is this friend and why would he put him in that danger.
“I think it’s one of the worst acts of driving behaviour in this (operation).”
Mr Vandersteen said he couldn’t recall any of the other 36-plus vehicles caught on Operation Regarder video with an occupant leaning out of a window during burnouts.
“The most serious car crash I’ve seen is when someone fell out of a car at 5 km/h.”
Stacey’s lawyer said the accused had been “blowing off steam” during a difficult separation with his partner at the time.
He since understood the “inherent seriousness” of the offences, the lawyer said.
Mr Vandersteen retorted: “Everyone goes through difficult times. Not everyone who goes through a difficult time puts lives at risk.
“You can’t just say he was upset and wanted to do a burnout.”
Another offender Luke Close – on a suspended jail sentence at the time – had his sentencing adjourned.
Due to a migraine, a psychologist was unable to testify on whether Close’s moral culpability was reduced due to a close family bereavement at the time.
Both Stacey and Close face sentencing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 8 August.
