Traffic offenders who faced Gladstone Magistrates Court

Drivers caught behind the wheel drunk, on drugs or unlicensed have faced Gladstone court in numbers. Here are some of the offenders who were recently punished.

Police conduct a random breath testing operation. Generic image.

The following people pleaded guilty recently in Gladstone Magistrates Court to traffic offences on the region’s roads.

Traffic conviction recorded

Robin Craig Kopa, 63

Robin Craig Kopa blew a reading of .106 after he was intercepted by police on Philip Street, Kin Kora, on April 29.

Kopa pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving, unlicensed driving (SPER suspended), as well as driving uninsured and unregistered.

The court heard Kopa had made a decision to drive home from a birthday party when he was stopped by police.

A solicitor tendered references and supporting documentation for Kopa who had previously served in the navy for 20 years with distinction.

The solicitor said Kopa was very remorseful for his actions and he had an “exemplary work history”.

With no prior similar offending, Kopa was fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for four months.

John David Belford, 49

John David Belford blew a reading of .151 after he was intercepted by police on Hampton Dr, Tannum Sands, on May 5.

Belford pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving.

With no similar offending in the past five years, Belford, who operates a shed building business, was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Gavin John Chapman, 54

Gavin John Chapman blew a reading of .028 while he was subject to a zero blood alcohol limit, after police intercepted him driving at Boyne Island on April 20.

Chapman pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving while unlicensed.

The court heard Chapman was unaware his driver’s licence had expired which meant he could have no alcohol in his system.

With no prior offending of this sort, Chapman was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Peter Thomas Adrian Sheffield, 38

Peter Thomas Adrian Sheffield blew a reading of .113 after he was intercepted by police on the Bruce Highway at Colosseum, on May 12.

Sheffield pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving.

With a previous similar offence on his history from 2019, Sheffield was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Lorren Airley Stevens, 27

Lorren Airley Stevens blew a reading of .029 while subject to a zero blood alcohol limit, after police intercepted her in Gladstone on March 8.

Stevens pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving and unlicensed driving (SPER suspended).

With previous unlicensed driving on her traffic history, Stevens was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Police crack down on drink and drug-affected driving.

Wade Howard Young, 42

Wade Howard Young had both methamphetamine and cannabis in his system when police tested him on the Dawson Highway, West Gladstone, on February 25.

Young pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drug driving and driving while court disqualified.

With two previous drug driving offences in the past five years, Young, a former carpenter, was sentenced to three months’ jail wholly suspended for an operational period of 15 months, and disqualified from driving for two years and six months.

Sharon Lee Stewart, 46

Sharon Lee Stewart had cannabis in her system when police tested her on the Dawson Highway at Calliope, on March 18.

Stewart pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drug driving.

With no prior offending of this sort, Stewart was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Scott Daniel Malcolm Riggs, 30

Scott Daniel Malcolm Riggs blew a reading of .067 after police intercepted him on Auckland Street, Gladstone, on April 2.

Riggs pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving.

With a previous drink driving offence in the past five years, Riggs was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for four months.

Jaden Jefferson Chong, 31

Jaden Jefferson Chong was caught driving while SPER suspended at Calliope on May 9.

Chong pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 30 to unlicensed driving.

The court heard that Chong didn’t know his driver’s licence was suspended at the time police intercepted him.

Chong was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Police undertake an RBT operation.

Mitchell John Webster, 26

Mitchell John Webster blew a reading of .155 after he was intercepted on Malpas Street, Boyne Island, on April 23.

Webster pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 30 to drink driving.

With no similar offending in the past five years, Webster, a boilermaker, was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for six months.

No traffic conviction recorded

Stephanie Maree Ludwicki, 25

Stephanie Maree Ludwicki blew a reading of .070 after she was intercepted by police on the Dawson Highway at Gladstone, on April 26.

Ludwicki pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 29 to drink driving.

With no prior offending of this sort, Ludwicki, a nurse, was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for one month.

No traffic conviction was recorded.

Zachary James Lawerce Stylz Lowman, 30

Zachary James Lawerce Stylz Lowman was caught driving while SPER suspended on Palm Dr, Gladstone, on April 12.

Lowman pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on May 30 to unlicensed driving and contravening a police requirement to provide identifying particulars.

Lowman, an apprentice fridge mechanic, was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for one month.

No traffic or criminal convictions were recorded.