No bail for carjacking accused

AN IPSWICH man charged with hijacking a car while a mother and her young children were inside will remain behind bars until his next court appearance.

The lawyer acting for Jesse Earl Langlands, 21, of Rosewood, made an application for bail at Ipswich Magistrates Court.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta yesterday refused the application on the grounds of public safety.

Langlands is accused of attacking a 41-year-old mother as she sat in the car park of a Laidley supermarket, about 7.20 on Wednesday night.

Police will allege Langlands approached the woman’s car, opening the door and attempting to pull the woman from the driver’s seat.

When she screamed, Langlands allegedly covered her mouth and pulled her out of the vehicle by the hair.

The mother frantically opened the rear door and got her nine-year-old out of the vehicle, but was unable to get her three-year-old out before the car sped away.

Police will allege the offender crashed the car about 500m up the road, where he unstrapped the young girl and left her wandering alone.

The vehicle took off towards Rosewood, and was discovered about 7am the next day on Oakleigh Colliery Rd, badly damaged.

Langlands was arrested and charged later the same day.

In opposing bail, police said the child who was left at the side of the road was at risk of being struck by a car or drowning in a nearby waterway.

Langlands, who was supported in court by his father and his employer, is charged with robbery with violence, abduction of a child under 16, assaults occasioning bodily harm, common assault, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful entry of vehicle, dangerous operation of a vehicle and wilful damage.

Ms Vasta said the charges levelled at Langlands were serious and that “public safety is paramount” when deciding if bail should be granted.

Langlands was remanded in custody to appear in court again by video link on January 25.