The now 17-year-old boy, who was 16 at the time of the crash, took his mum’s Holden Commodore for a joy ride in the early hours of a rainy morning in 2017 when he lost control on Golf Avenue, Mollymook and collided with a power pole. 

His 15-year-old friend in the front passenger seat was trapped in the vehicle until Fire and Rescue NSW Ulladulla cut him free and he was airlifted to the Sydney Children’s Hospital with serious head injuries. 

Another friend in the back of the car escaped with minor injuries.

Police facts tendered to the court stated the teen behind the wheel had been at his Ulladulla home with friends when he decided to take his mum’s car for a “spin” at 3.15am on Saturday, May 20, 2017. 

After turning off the Princes Highway onto Golf Avenue in heavy rain, the teen lost control of the vehicle. 

“I was coming around the roundabout at 40 km/h trying to be an idiot and lost control in the wet and hit the pole,” he told police. 

When asked why he accelerated to 60 km/h once exiting the roundabout, he said, “I was trying to go sideways.”

His front passenger suffered brain damage in the accident and is now under care and suffers “memory loss”, police documents stated. 

In Milton Local Court on Thursday, May 24, 2018, the defendant pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning actual bodily harm, taking a vehicle without permission of the owner, and a learner driving without supervision. 

He was represented in court by lawyer Matthew Vincent, who asked Magistrate Gabriel Fleming to exercise leniency in sentencing. 

“The decision made on the night reflects that of a child,” Mr Vincent told the court. 

“This [crash] has resulted in serious consequences for his mental health.” 

Police prosecutor Richard Novatin said there was a “need for deterrence of these crimes in the community”. 

Magistrate Fleming said the offences before the court were “very serious”. 

“The maximum penalty for these offences in the local court is two years in jail,” she said. 

“One of your friends nearly didn’t get out of the car at all. It is irresponsible behaviour. You need to make a decision on how your life is going to go in the future. If you stay on this path, it won’t end well. 

“You need to get up off that couch and do some study or some work.” 

Magistrate Fleming ordered the teenager to complete 120 hours of community service, placed him on a supervised good behaviour bond for two years and disqualified him from driving for two years.