WHAT does the man who allegedly hijacked a police van and smashed it into a fence at the Brisbane Botanical Gardens have to say for himself?

"Yeah, don't do it," said 19-year-old Ryan Loma Aaron Jardes as he was granted bail from Brisbane's Roma St Watch house this afternoon.

Jardes learned the hard way just how wrong a night out can go when opportunity knocked and he allegedly jumped into the driver's seat of an unattended police van parked outside the Victory Hotel on the corner of Edward and Charlotte streets just after 2am.

Police had been responding to an all-out brawl between dozens of people and security guards at the hotel when Jardes allegedly took it for a spin.

He allegedly drove the van - with keys left in the ignition - along Edward St and Alice St before it ground to a spectacular halt, crashing into the gates of the Botanical Gardens.

Jardes allegedly did a runner but was nabbed by a police dog squad around 4am.

He was arrested and taken into custody at the Brisbane Watch House this morning and later appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on numerous charges including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, drink driving, driving unlicensed and for being in possession of a dangerous drug.

Police prosecutor Sgt Timothy Clare said police would be seeking restitution from Jardes for damage caused to the police van, but otherwise did not object to him receiving bail.

Jardes' defence lawyer said his client was due to start work at an "Ayers Rock resort" late next week.

Magistrate Christopher Callaghan granted Jardes bail but ordered he reappear to have the matter resolved in court next Thursday.

After most of the morning spent in the watch house, Jardes told waiting media he was sorry for allegedly taking the police van.

He said he'd been celebrating his birthday last night, although he turned 19 on October 26.

"I don't really remember much," he said.

"I'm going home and I'll probably keep charging - get back on it - why not?"

FIVE men have been charged over a brawl which allegedly broke out at the

Victory Hotel

when one of them kicked a security guard in the head and pulled out a knife.

Police allege the brawl broke out when the hotel's staff were evicting several people and a security guard tried to restrain a man who had kicked another guard in the head.

The 18-year-old man than pulled out a knife but he was retrained by other people as police arrived.

The Forest Lake man has been charged with one count each of possession of a knife in a public place, assault occasioning bodily harm, public nuisance and creating a disturbance in a licensed premises.

He is due to appear before court on November 11.

Two other 18-year-old men, from Blackwater and Sumner, have also been charged with public nuisance and are due to appear before court on November 15.

Two 21-year-old men, from Bellbowrie and Banyo, have been charged with public nuisance and are due to appear before court on November 30.

All five are scheduled to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court.