For many, the thought of a James Bond-esque spy car is quite the pipe dream!
For Brisbane Electrician Simon John Hickey that dream became a reality, but at the cost of pleading guilty to multiple charges pressed against him.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the charges included:
- Possessing false identity information to commit an indictable offence,
- The manufacturing of prohibited weapons without a permit,
- And the possession of prohibited weapons without a permit.
Magistrate Annette Sinclair detailed the nature of Hickey’s weapons offences, which involved decking out his car in a way where prohibited weapons could be deployed at will.
Hickey’s car was later examined by police which led to a number of ‘interesting finds,’ such as; deployable caltrops (the kind that flattens tyres – yes really), a number plate hiding device, and a license containing his picture, but a completely different name, which could not be found on any records.
Hickey’s Defence Barrister Ben Barrack reportedly defended Hickey with claims that he grew up with a violent upbringing, which ultimately resulted in PTSD and other mental health issues.
Magistrate Sinclair took this defence into consideration, reportedly saying these alterations “may have come from a place of hyper-vigilance and fear for safety.”
Hickey was further sentenced to 18 months in jail, after it was made clear that special circumstances were at play in this case due to his mental health.
