The damage at Belrose Park, Kallaroo.
Camera IconThe damage at Belrose Park, Kallaroo. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Man fined for using car to rip up park turf

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

A 22-YEAR-old man is out of pocket $2600 for driving through a bollard and ripping up the lawn of a Kallaroo park after he left a party.

Travis Edward Wright appeared in Joondalup Magistrate’s Court on Friday charged with reckless driving.

The police prosecutor said at 4am on July 14 Wright had left a party when he drove a Toyota Landcruiser through a wooden bollard at Belrose Park and performed “donuts”, spinning the vehicle around in circles and “churning up the turf”.

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He failed to maintain control of the vehicle and it rolled on its side,” the prosecutor said.

He said the City of Joondalup was seeking compensation of $3320.47.

Wright’s lawyer said it was an act of “stupidity” but noted it was at 4am with “no one else around”.

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/Supplied

He also questioned the compensation amount from the City of Joondalup, which included 19 hours of labour.

He said it was “over the top” and suggested a more reasonable amount would be $1200.

“If it was our lawn we’d just fix it up, put some fertiliser down and put the bollard back,” he said.

Magistrate Jennifer Hawkins accepted Wright’s early guilty plea but did not accept it was not dangerous given the car did roll and it could not be guaranteed no one would be at the park at 4am.

“It will probably be a night you long remember,” Ms Hawkins said.

“It was absolutely foolish behaviour and you placed yourself at risk.”

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/Supplied

She fined Wright $1000 and ordered him to pay the City of Joondalup $1600 in compensation, accepting the initial request was maybe too high.

His driver’s licence was also disqualified for six months.

More from Joondalup court:

Deputy principal accused of sexually assaulting boy

Man jailed for masturbating outside woman’s home