Christopher Le Bannerman pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to driving without due care

A Roma man spotted swerving and driving a truck ‘dangerously close’ at two pedestrians in two separate incidents, forcing one to jump out of the way, has had his charges downgraded in court.

A formerly homeless ‘loner’ who was caught driving a truck ‘dangerously close’ to pedestrians on a Roma street has fronted court.

Christopher Le Bannerman, 36, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to two counts of driving without due care.

Police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said in two separate incidents in December 2022 and January 2023, Bannerman was caught driving without due care near pedestrians after the initial dangerous driving charges were downgraded.

The first victim was walking his dog while wearing a striped hi viz vest on a “clear, sunny day” when he observed a 1997 Isuzu truck heading towards him from the opposite side of the road.

The court was told the victim walked off the bitumen and onto the grass shoulder.

“The truck swerved to the victim’s side of the road and then passed the victim and his dog and swerved back onto his side of the road,” Mr Donnelly said.

“The victim was in shock due to how close the truck came to him and his dog.”

The second victim was walking by herself on a grassy shoulder when a truck approached from behind and drove beside her.

“Her words were ‘dangerously close’.

“The victim walked further onto the grass shoulder to avoid the truck, however the defendant drove off the road onto the grass shoulder right in the victim’s path.”

When the victim tried to walk around the front of the truck, the defendant drove even further onto the grass shoulder and when the victim tried to walk behind the truck he reversed and blocked her path.

This repeated a number of times.

“The victim was very concerned with the defendant’s manner of driving and fearful the defendant may purposely hit her,” Mr Donnelly said.

“She used her mobile phone, taking a picture of the truck. The defendant has seen the phone and then driven away.”

When police located Bannerman he told police he believes it’s not his fault if people are on the road and showed no concern for his manner of driving.

“How are those facts careless? I mean it seems to be intentional, but I can’t proceed on that basis because of the charge,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.

“I have to proceed that it wasn’t intentional but … it seems deliberate.”

Defence lawyer Leslee Reed said her client suffers from anxiety and severe back pain and wasn’t taking his pain medication on the days of the offending.

She said at the time Bannerman was homeless and living in his truck.

“He doesn’t have many people to rely on, he’s a bit of a loner,” Ms Reed said.

“He was feeling drowsy so he decided to stop taking his (pain) medication so he was in severe pain. From time to time he was momentarily forgetting things on the road and not paying attention.

“He said he will be more careful in the future.”

Mr Elliott said driving a truck anywhere near a pedestrian “puts vulnerable people at risk”.

“You’re pleading guilty today to driving a truck near pedestrians on more than one occasion,” he said.

“I have to proceed on the basis it was careless not dangerous or intentional, but when you’re driving a truck you need to pay extra special care.

“If you hit someone, you kill someone.”

Bannerman was fined $1200 referred to SPER. A conviction was recorded.