A teenager in Cairns has been fined $12,000 for hooning offences, according to court documents. The 18-year-old, Michael Misi, was among five teenagers charged over an alleged stolen car rampage that occurred on Wednesday. The group allegedly stole three cars and drove them dangerously through several suburbs, including during morning peak hour traffic.
Police tracked the vehicles for several hours using helicopters from Cairns and Townsville before using tyre spikes to stop one car around 3pm. Four boys were arrested with the help of the dog squad, while Misi was taken into custody later that day. The teenagers faced more than 20 charges combined, mostly for unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
In court on Thursday, a 17-year-old boy was sentenced to nine months' probation after pleading guilty to three counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company. The magistrate described the incident as a 'huge escalation' in offending that was 'out of character' for the boy, but noted his criminal history included two previous charges for unlawful use of a vehicle.
Another 17-year-old boy, who was already on 12 months' probation for similar offences, had his bail application refused. A 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to three charges and was remanded in custody to be sentenced next month. A 15-year-old boy accused of driving the vehicles had his matter adjourned until next month.
Misi was remanded in custody to face court again in July. District Superintendent Mick Searle said about 60 officers were involved in tracking the alleged offenders over a 12-hour period. He defended the decision not to actively pursue the vehicles, stating that chases often result in crashes or dangerous situations. He noted that the operation ended with no injuries.
