Matthew Stephen Lovegrove given $8k fine, banned from driving for 10 years

A Capricorn Coast man has been banned from driving for 10 years and was dealt a massive fine after a series of traffic offences.

Matthew Stephen Lovegrove.

A Capricorn Coast man has been banned from driving for 10 years and dealt a massive fine after he was caught riding a motorcycle multiple times in Yeppoon and evaded police while his driver’s licence was court disqualified.

Matthew Stephen Lovegrove, 41, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 16 to four counts each of driving an uninsured vehicle, driving without a driver’s licence disqualified by a court order, driving an unregistered vehicle, and one count each of contravening a banning order, urinating in a public place, possessing utensils or pipes for use, possessing dangerous drugs, committing public nuisance, disobeying the speed limit, evading police, make a right turn contrary to sign and breaching a bail condition.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said Lovegrove’s driver’s licence was court disqualified when he was riding a motorcycle that was unregistered and uninsured along Park Street at Yeppoon and at Yeppoon Central Shopping Centre on September 3 at 9.30am

Mr Fox said Lovegrove was caught riding the motorcycle on CCTV.

He said police saw Lovegrove riding the motorcycle on Rockhampton Road at 10.20am and activated their lights and sirens, but he did not pull over.

Police travelled up to 90 km/h behind Lovegrove and stopped after he turned into Ocean Park Avenue at speed.

Mr Fox said Lovegrove hopped on his motorcycle on June 5 after leaving the Railway Hotel, which he was banned from, urinated in the car park and was caught on CCTV.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said Lovegrove had been drinking at a licensed premise on August 6 when he became involved in an ugly brawl, resulting in the public nuisance charge.

Regarding the public nuisance offence, defence lawyer Krissy Cummins said her client had a verbal altercation which then led to a physical altercation and that he required multiple surgeries.

The court heard Lovegrove was on parole when he committed all of the offences, except for breaching the bail condition.

Ms Cummins said her client had sold the bike after the September offences.

She said her client “panicked” when he evaded police and knew he shouldn’t have been driving.

She said her client worked as a concreter and landscaper, had his own business and lived at Bondoola with no licence.

She said her client was referred to Lives Lived Well while he was on parole.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale told Lovegrove he and alcohol should separate.

“It would seem that when you are separated from a drink, you will take any means to get there and that has stop,” she said.

Lovegrove was sentenced to 18 months’ prison, wholly suspended for two years, fined $8708.50 and disqualified from driving for 10 years.