The driving of a teenager who was doing burnouts in a main street has been described by a magistrate as “absolute dangerous stupidity”.

Alexander Mann, 19, of Euroa, pleaded guilty in Benalla Magistrates’ Court to driving in a dangerous manner.

The court, which was sitting at Shepparton, heard police received several reports of a silver Ford Falcon doing burnouts around the roundabout on the corner of Binney and Brock streets in Euroa shortly after 4pm on July 24.

CCTV showed the vehicle doing multiple laps of the roundabout where the rear end was drifting.

On the third lap, Mann lost control of the vehicle, and it did a 180-degree spin before exiting the roundabout in the wrong direction.

Police located Mann’s car broken down in Frost St about 30 minutes after the calls to police.

The court heard the road was wet after rain, and other motorists were in the area, at the time of the burnouts.

The P-plater’s car was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $906.

The prosecutor told the court Mann told police he was “letting it loose a bit and losing control”.

Mann said he was “doing it for fun, I guess” the prosecutor said.

Representing himself in court, Mann said he understood what he did was stupid and that he wouldn’t do it again.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski told Mann he “behaved like an imbecile”.

“If you lost control and killed someone, you’d be in the County Court,” he said.

“You think you’re a great driver. You’re not.

“Your driving was absolute dangerous stupidity.”

Mann was fined $1500.

Mr Zebrowski also disqualified Mann from driving for 12 months, which is more than the mandatory minimum period which must be imposed by law.

“It was ridiculous behaviour by you,” Mr Zebrowski said.

“A message needs to be sent to young people — if you want to put other people at risk, there will be consequences.”

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Thursday, 21st March 2024

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