Shocking: 11 people face Biloela court for drug and drink-driving

One drink-driver blew .204 while another offender was caught drug-driving twice in the same month.

A clip from the TV advertisement "Thinking About Drinking: Don't Take the Car" drink-driving campaign.

Eleven people have been punished for drug and drink-driving offences in the Biloela region.

They all pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on July 28 to their charges.

Police initially caught Sallie Anne Heid, 25, speeding on the Dawson Highway at Biloela on May 18.

She subsequently tested positive to having marijuana in her system.

With previous drug offending on her criminal history but none on her traffic history, Heid was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

P-plater Jessie Donald Hannan, 20, was caught drug-driving twice in May, both times with marijuana in his system.

Police first caught Hannan on May 2 on Lawrence Street at Biloela.

Then they caught him again on May 30 on Gladstone Road, Biloela.

The court heard that Hannan had two previous drug-driving matters on his history from 2020.

Hannan was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Amanda Louise Cook, 43, had both marijuana and methamphetamine in her system when police caught her driving on the Dawson Highway at Biloela on June 6.

The court heard that Cook had drug offending on her history.

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

Andrea Emma-Joan Johnston, 38, blew .088 when police caught her drink-driving on the Leichhardt Highway at Theodore on July 16.

With no similar offending on her history in the past five years, Johnston was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Police conduct a high visibility RBT operation. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Anita Jane Lakin, 40, was caught drug-driving in February and then again in May.

Lakin had both marijuana and methamphetamine in her system when police tested her on the Dawson Highway at Biloela on February 19.

Then on May 26, when police tested her on Kariboe Street at Biloela, she again had those same two drugs in her system.

As well as pleading guilty to the two drug-driving charges, Lakin also pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled drug on November 10 last year.

Lakin was placed on 12 months’ probation with conditions including drug testing, fined $200, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Convictions were recorded.

Brent Noel Law, 62, tested positive for marijuana when police caught him driving on State Farm Road at Biloela, on May 25.

The court heard that Law had drug offending on his criminal history, but none on his traffic history.

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

Thomas Graeme Robertson, 27, blew a high reading of .204 after police intercepted him on Rogers Street at Moura on June 26.

Robertson was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Desmond Royce Swan, 57, was caught driving with marijuana in his system on the Burnett Highway at Biloela, on May 14.

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

Police conduct an RBT operation. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Andrew John Schluter, 38, tested positive for marijuana while driving on Orange Street at Biloela on June 6.

The court heard that Schluter had “a very bad traffic record”.

With previous drug and drink-driving offences on his traffic history, Schluter was fined $800 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Marijuana was in Matthew John Ryrie’s system when police intercepted him driving on Kariboe Street at Biloela, on June 3.

With no previous similar offending on his history, Ryrie, 36, was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Jeffrey John Fagg, 32, returned a positive to marijuana after police tested him on the Burnett Highway at Orange Creek on April 22.

With a previous drink-driving conviction on his history from 2020, Fagg was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for nine months.