CCTV catches curfew break

Conviction recorded against 17-year-old man on bail

SECURITY footage at a Charlton service station was the undoing of a teenager who was found to have broken his bail and curfew conditions, a court has heard.

Michael Wade Hearn, 17, appeared in custody in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court to plead guilty to one count of breach of bail conditions.

Prosecutor Tim Hutton said Hearn broke the curfew condition on his bail when he was seen by police at a Charlton service station on Wednesday.

Sergeant Hutton said Toowoomba police were patrolling when, at 1.55am on Wednesday, saw a Honda CRV at Charlton drive from a service station with no headlights.

Police followed the vehicle and attempted to intercept it when it accelerated away, reaching speeds of 114kmh in the 60kmh zone at Charlton.

Sgt Hutton said police returned to the service station and reviewed CCTV footage which showed Hearn leaving the store and entering the passenger side of the vehicle about 1.50am.

Later that day about 3.25am, police attended the address listed on Hearn’s bail but he was not located.

Police then went to a different address in Toowoomba about 11.40am and located Hearn at which point he was arrested and taken to the watch house.

Sgt Hutton said police asked Hearn why he had breached his bail condition to which he replied he hadn’t and declined a formal interview.

Solicitor Kevin Rose said his client had previously spoken to his office about changing his bail conditions, including the address at which he was required to be between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

He said Hearn was under the impression his bail conditions could be changed with the officer-in-charge at Toowoomba police.

“There does seem to be an element of confusion,” Mr Rose told the court.

But Magistrate Graham Lee was not convinced Hearn had been confused about the bail conditions.

Mr Lee said Hearn had previously breached other bail conditions but had not had convictions recorded against him.

However, having regard to Hearn’s age, Mr Lee handed down a $200 fine, and referred it to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry.

He ordered a conviction be recorded, and altered Hearn’s bail address.