Traffic offenders who faced Biloela Magistrates Court

Three meat workers were among the Central Queensland traffic offenders to face Biloela court to get their punishment.

A number of people have faced Biloela Magistrates Court for traffic offences on Central Queensland roads.

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

Biloela Magistrates Court, February 22

Traffic conviction recorded

Robert James Watson, 35

Robert James Watson pleaded guilty to drug driving after he was caught driving with cannabis in his system on the Burnett Highway at Orange Creek on November 25 last year.

Solicitor Madison Kurtz said Watson had been working as a storeman but he had lost his job as a result of this charge.

Ms Kurtz said since the offence, Watson had engaged with counselling through Drug ARM (rehab) and also obtained a prescription for medicinal cannabis.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Watson $350 and disqualified him from driving for one month.

Taumaloto Tuiuli, 28

Taumaloto Tuiuli pleaded guilty to drink driving after he blew a reading of .066 when police intercepted him on the Dawson Highway on January 21.

The court heard that Tuiuli was a meat worker who had no traffic history at all.

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

Metusela Ki, 26

Metusela Ki blew a reading of .188 when he was caught drink driving while unlicensed on Grevillea Street, Biloela, on January 22.

Ki pleaded guilty to drink driving and unlicensed driving.

Solicitor Richard Parks said Ki worked at a meat works at Biloela and on the day of his offending, he had only moved the car “four houses away” when he was intercepted by police.

With no traffic history at all, Ki was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 11 months.

Clarence Joseph Himstedt, 56

Clarence Joseph Himstedt was caught driving without a licence on McArthur Street, Moura, on January 18.

He pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving and was fined $150.

Biloela Magistrates Court, February 8

Traffic conviction recorded

Jonathon Francis Lippitt, 38

Jonathon Francis Lippitt pleaded guilty to drug driving after he was caught driving with methamphetamine and cannabis in his system on the Dawson Highway on November 25 last year.

The court heard that this was Lippitt’s third offence of this sort in the past five years.

He was fined $750 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Mohammad Elyas, 39

Mohammad Elyas pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath after police intercepted him for a RBT at Biloela on September 28 last year.

The court heard that Elyas, a meatworker, returned a positive RBT roadside and he was taken to Biloela Police Station for further testing.

The prosecution said at the station, Elyas made three attempts to provide breath and he was unsuccessful each time before being charged.

The court heard that Elyas was not proficient with the English language and he required an interpreter for his court matter to be dealt with.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale took into account the language barrier had been a problem in this matter, as well as other complexities, before fining Elyas $100 and disqualifying him from driving for six months.

Ms Beckinsale told Elyas the fine for this offence would normally be more than $1000 but she had taken numerous factors into account in this case.

Craig Edward Graham, 49

Craig Edward Graham pleaded guilty to drug driving after he was caught driving with methamphetamine and cannabis in his system on Melton Street, Biloela, on October 30 last year.

The court heard that Graham was on a suspended sentence for an unrelated matter at the time.

It was also told that Graham had previous drug driving offending on his history.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined him $550 and disqualified him from driving for three months.

Ms Beckinsale also extended the operational period of Graham’s suspended sentence by six months.

Amanda Grace Petty, 42

Amanda Grace Petty was caught driving while SPER suspended on the Burnett Highway at Goovigen on November 8 last year.

As well as pleading guilty to unlicensed driving, Petty also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender into custody on January 11 this year.

Petty, a haul truck operator, was fined $300 and disqualified from driving for one month.

No criminal conviction was recorded but a traffic conviction was.