IMPROPER CALL TO TRIPLE 0 DENIED
THE accused ringleader of the Mexican Hoon Cartel has been cleared of making a vexatious call to Triple 0 while police were impounding his friend’s car.
Magistrate Pam Dowse dismissed the single charge of improper use of an emergency service after hearing about an hour of evidence in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday.
Jaiden Scott CourtlandMaunder, 19, was accused of calling Triple 0 on July 8 last year and asking for more senior police to attend the Robina roadside because officers were trying to impound his friend’s car.
Magistrate Dowse said she was not convinced the call made by Mr CourtlandMaunder was vexatious.
“It’s not disrespectful, it didn’t take up any time,” she said. “It was more of a frustration … it’s not a total spurious reason for telephoning an emergency service.”
The Mexican Hoon Cartel is a group of car enthusiasts accused of terrorising Gold Coast streets with dangerous driving and posting the videos of it on social media.
Mr Courtland-Maunder was a passenger in his friend’s car when they were pulled over by Constable Rowan Larkin who suspected the car had been used in hooning.
The driver was arrested for hooning in Gilston in the months prior and told his car would be seized. Police did not charge the driver.
During the hearing the court was played the 30second call, during which Mr Courtland-Maunder did not yell, swear or make any accusations towards the operator.
“We were wondering if we could get a higher rank down here,” Mr CourtlandMaunder asked.
“Our car is being seized and we don’t know why.”
Mr Courtland-Maunder asked once more and then said “all right” when he was told it was not possible for a more senior officer to meet them.
The police officer on the other end of the phone said: “Good luck, mate”.
During the hearing Mr Courtland-Maunder’s lawyer Mollie Roper, of Cooper Maloy Legal, questioned Const Larkin about if he failed to provide the driver with his right to silence or ability to call a friend during the arrest.
“Yeah, that is correct,” Mr Larkin said.
Ms Roper told the court this failure helped contribute to confusion at the scene.