Gregory Michael Scanlan loses licence after high speed crash
The appalling traffic history of a dangerous driver includes 49 prior convictions for speeding and six licence suspensions, a court has heard.
A Brisbane man has lost his licence for three years after he was spotted driving an Audi at 150km/h down a quiet suburban street moments before a collision with another car.
Gregory Michael Scanlan, 49, was sentenced after pleading guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Thursday to dangerous operation of a vehicle while excessively speeding at the time of the crash at Bulimba in November 2018.
Crown prosecutor Melissa Wilson said Scanlan did not have a criminal history but had an “appalling” traffic history, including 49 prior convictions for speeding.
She said his licence had also previously been suspended on six occasions and cancelled on three separate occasions.
Ms Wilson said Scanlan had also committed two other traffic offences while on bail for this matter.
The court heard Scanlan was on a 12-month good behaviour licence restriction when he was involved in the collision with the Toyota Corolla, whose elderly driver and passenger were hospitalised.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Scanlon’s blue Audi RS3 convertible speeding down Henderson St, Bulimba at an estimated 150km/h in a 50km zone.
In a second clip, the car can then be seen on Brisbane St moments before a squeal of tyres and a loud crash sound, understood to be the moment of impact between the cars.
Ms Wilson said it was estimated Scanlan entered the intersection driving at 58km/h in a 50km zone.
The court heard Scanlan had veered off the road at the intersection of Brisbane St and Henderson St before slamming into a house.
Scanlan, who is involved in the Russian Orthodox Church through his involvement in choir, was also hurt during the crash.
Defence barrister Russell Pearce said his client, who lives a street away from where the crash happened, had been driving to Woolworths to buy supplies for his daughter’s 11th birthday party.
“More guests than expected arrived; he was making what he thought was a quick duck to the shops to get some food,’ Mr Pearce said.
“As he approached Brisbane St, he saw the Corolla and he said it appeared to slow but realised it wasn’t going to stop so he accelerated to go around it.”
Scanlan was first charged with dangerous operation causing grievous bodily harm but the charge was later downgraded to the lesser offence.
The court heard there had been previous evidence about whether the other vehicle had come to a stop at the intersection to give way.
Mr Pearce said Scanlon agreed he’d been speeding.
“It was a silly thing to do,” he said.
“If he’d done that in my residential street I wouldn’t be happy either.”
The court heard Scanlan continues to suffer medical issues since the crash, including back pain and can’t drive past the intersection near his home.
Judge David Kent KC said he’d read the references provided to the court about how Scanlan had since the crash “slowed down” his driving.
“If you have slowed down, that’s commendable, but frankly Mr Scanlan, it’s simply nothing other than the basic response of human nature,” Judge Kent said.
“One would ask rhetorically that if this didn't slow you down, what on God’s good earth would?
“You were very close to killing these people, in saying that, I acknowledge the causation issues that I’ve mentioned earlier, in those circumstances the results could have been different.”
Judge Kent sentenced Scanlan to 18 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.
“You’ve led a blameless existence to know other than your traffic history thus your likelihood of you committing an offence punishment by imprisonment is very small,” he said.
Scanlan was also disqualified from driving for three years.
Originally published as Gregory Michael Scanlan loses licence after high speed crash
