Latest round of drink or drug drivers who have faced Roma Magistrates Court 2023
The latest round of drink or drug drivers who have faced Roma Magistrates Court for their dangerous booze or drug fuelled behaviour. Full list here.
Police & Courts
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• A drug driver who told police he must’ve inadvertently inhaled meth through second hand smoke has fronted court.
Stewart Arthur Finn pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on January 16 police intercepted a red Toyota Hilux for a roadside drug test on Currey St, Roma.
The court was told that after providing a positive result, Finn admitted to using medicinal cannabis five days earlier.
However he denied consuming methamphetamine despite its presence in his system, saying he had been around people smoking the drug.
He was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for six weeks.
• A truck driver serving a suspended prison sentence has recently come before the court again, this time for drug driving.
With an extensive six page traffic history and seven page criminal history, Neville Keith Dennis pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on January 29 police pulled over the defendant for a drug test on Quintin St, Roma.
After initially denying any illicit drug use within the past two weeks, when the roadside drug test came back positive he admitted to using methamphetamine ten days earlier.
Despite the defence’s efforts to ask for a fine, Dennis was given jail time.
For the drug driving charge, magistrate Shane Elliott sentenced Dennis to three months imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for nine months.
For the breaching of a suspended sentence, the magistrate opted to activate part of his suspended sentence and handed him a further three months imprisonment.
Convictions were recorded.
• A woman holding a probationary drivers licence has wound up in court again after driving with a cocktail of illegal drugs in her system.
Sarah Anne Garner pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on January 20 a Suzuki Hatch was intercepted on Arthur St, Roma for a drug test.
Tests came back positive and Garner admitted to police she consumed cannabis in the days prior alongside other illegal drugs.
Police prosecutions said drug driving seems to be “an ongoing issue for the defendant” and that she has a two page criminal history, which includes prior drug drive convictions.
Magistrate Shane Elliott said it is troubling that someone with such a large number of previous convictions is still driving around with drugs in their system.
“What if you run over a child, (while) driving around with drugs in your system which you do all the time?
“You’re a danger to yourself and more importantly to other innocent members of the community.
“If you come back here again for drugs in your system, you’ll go to jail - you’re on your last chance.”
Garner was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
A conviction was recorded.
• A repeat drug driver was threatened by the magistrate that he would have his driver’s licence taken off him “forever” if he kept reoffending.
Jamie Thomas Halpin pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on November 19 police conducting roadside drug tests uncovered Halpin was driving with methamphetamine in his system.
“If you keep driving with drugs in your system, we’ll take your licence off you forever. We can do that,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.
“If you drive with drugs in your system, you endanger others and that’s the issue.”
Halpin was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for five months.
A conviction was recorded.
• A drink driver on his way to buy more beers told police he didn’t realise he was disqualified from driving despite police finding hundreds of unread emails on his phone.
Shaun James Harrison pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drink driving and driving unlicensed.
Police prosecutions said on February 17 police stopped a Toyota ute travelling along Station St, Roma for a random breath test and licence check.
Checks revealed Harrison was suspended due to not paying fines, however he told police he didn’t realise he was suspended despite admitting he doesn’t check his emails or mail.
With a blood alcohol concentration reading of 0.043, he admitted to drinking two cans of XXXX beer before driving to get more beers.
Harrison was fined $200 and given a one month disqualification for the SPER suspended driving charge and a three month disqualification for the drink driving charge.
A conviction was recorded.
• An ex-convict with a thirteen page criminal history and his girlfriend have both racked up a combined seven charges across three towns, including drug driving.
Troy Michael Cook pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving, two counts of disqualified driving and one count of possessing cannabis and utensils associated with an illegal drug.
Acacia Rose Glen pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving.
Police prosecutions said Cook was pulled over by police on three separate occasions in Caloundra, Mitchell and Kingaroy in September and October last year.
While Glen was caught drug driving in Kingaroy in October 2022 and Roma in January 2023.
On all occasions the defendants tested positive for cannabis.
Cook was sentenced to a nine month probation order and disqualified from driving for a total of six months.
Glen was handed a $750 fine for both drug driving offences and disqualified from driving for six months.
• A truck driver told police his drink had been spiked after he was stopped for a roadside drug test which came back positive.
Jamie Phillip Hasted pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
During police patrols on November 19, the night of last year’s Roma Cup, Hasted was stopped on Northern Rd for a roadside drug test at 7.40pm.
“He denied consuming any illicit drugs but claimed drinks were being spiked at the Club Hotel,” police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said.
“He said he was travelling to his sister’s address to pick her up and take her to hospital.”
Mr Donnelly said it was concerning that the defendant has some “history from five or six years ago”.
Hasted was fined $600 referred to SPER and disqualified from driving for six months.
He was granted a work licence so he could continue driving trucks.
• A Roma man told the court he didn’t realise he couldn’t drink and drive on a ride-on mower after his bizarre 2am gardening escapade.
Dale Colin Latemore pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drink driving and wilful and unlawful damage.
Police prosecutions said on February 27, police were called to reports of the 60-year-old using a ride-on mower to cross the street and damage his neighbour’s lawn on Charles St, Roma.
Police performed a breath test on Latemore which revealed a blood alcohol reading of 0.165, and he was then arrested and taken to the Roma police station.
Latemore was fined $400 and convictions were recorded.
• A P-plater who was spotted drug driving after “having a few lines of coke at a friend’s place after work” has fronted court.
Connor George Simpson, 20, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on February 18 police intercepted a white Holden Commodore for a drug test on McDowall St, Roma.
Simpson admitted to police he had consumed cocaine and cannabis in the days prior, however analysis revealed only methamphetamine was present.
He was handed a $500 fine and a five month driving disqualification. A conviction was recorded.
• A Roma woman who initially denied consuming any illicit drugs was caught drug driving along Hawthorne St, Roma on February 10.
Natalie Kay Beetson pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said at about 2.32pm police intercepted the defendant’s purple Mazda 3 for a drug test.
After the test came back positive for cannabis and methamphetamine, Beetson later admitted to consuming medicinal cannabis two days prior.
She was handed a $400 fine and disqualified from driving for two months. A conviction was recorded.
• Fresh off her probation order, Krystal-Leigh Hilda Maree Taylor pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions said on January 25 police intercepted a Hyundai Elantra for a drug test on Charles St, Roma.
Despite denying she had consumed any illegal drugs within the past two weeks, the saliva test confirmed the presence of cannabis and methamphetamine.
The court heard this was the second drug driving offence Taylor has committed within the last five years.
“I’m not sure when the penny’s going to drop for you. If you keep doing this you’ll end up in jail,” Magistrate Shane Elliott said.
Taylor was handed a $750 fine and disqualified from driving for nine months. A conviction was recorded.
• A worried woman called police after a she found a man she didn’t know pull up in his car and fall asleep on her driveway, with the 52-year-old so drunk he didn’t know how to get home.
Shane Andrew O’Brien pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to high-range drink driving, driving uninsured, driving unregistered and driving without a current driver’s licence.
More than five times above the legal limit with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.254, O’Brien told police he had consumed a cocktail of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and spirits.
O’Brien was given a three month prison sentence wholly suspended for 12 months and a 16 month driving disqualification for the high range drink driving charge.
He was fined $750 and given a further three month disqualification for all other offences. A conviction was recorded.
• A Maranoa Regional Council worker who was caught drink driving nearly three times over the legal limit has fronted Roma Magistrates Court.
Boyd William Burns pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving when leaving his parent’s Surat house on January 7 at 11.05pm.
The court heard that when police intercepted Burns’ vehicle for a breath test which came back positive, he was taken back to Roma police station for further testing.
A breath analysis revealed Burns was driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .145.
He told police he had consumed a whole bottle of Bundaberg rum between 4pm and 10.30pm before jumping behind the wheel.
“You’re actually not far off high-range drink driving,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.
“I do note you’ve got some assistance in relation to drinking, and that’s to your credit.”
Burns was given a $500 fine and a 4 month driving disqualification.
A conviction was recorded.
• The father of a seven-week-old baby was caught drug driving while on a probationary licence after a wild night of partying.
Michael James Ries, 45, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving.
Police prosecutions told the court Ries was intercepted on Queen St, Roma on September 24 at about 12.30pm for a roadside breath test.
The sawmill worker denied consuming any illicit drugs; however, results showed traces of methamphetamine and cannabis.
The defendant said he was at a party and consumed a few drinks and illicit drugs, but believed it would’ve been out of his system.
“If you want to use drugs, it’s illegal to start with, don’t drive,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.
Ries was handed a $600 fine and disqualified from driving for three months.
A conviction was recorded.
• A 44-year-old man whose doctor allegedly prescribed him medicinal cannabis was caught drug driving on the Carnarvon Highway in Roma.
Kai August Hurzlmeier pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to driving with cannabis and methamphetamine in his system on two occasions.
On two dates in November 2022, a blue Holden Commodore driven by Hurzlmeier was stopped by Roma police for drug tests.
Both times the defendant denied taking illicit drugs, but tests came back positive for cannabis and methamphetamine in both instances.
Hurzlmeier, who suffers from long term depression, anxiety and trauma, said he was prescribed cannabis by a local GP.
Magistrate Shane Elliott fined him $850 for both offences and disqualified him from driving for a total of nine months.
A conviction was recorded.
• A father-of-two has landed in Roma Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to drink driving after he miscalculated his blood alcohol level.
Police intercepted a Ford Ranger for a licence check and breath test on September 8 at 3.55am.
However, when police detected alcohol on Timothy James Bruton’s breath he admitted to police he had been drinking between 4pm and 7.30pm that night.
Bruton was taken back to the police station and a breath analysis revealed a blood alcohol concentation of .062, and in court pleaded guilty to driving while over the general alcohol limit.
Magistrate Shane Elliott said Bruton had “obviously miscalculated” in this instance.
“In future it’s best to just not drive after you’ve had a lot to drink,” he said.
“On this occasion if you had waited another hour you probably would’ve been under, but that’s the nature of trying to guess.”
Bruton was fined $250 and disqualified from driving for one month.
A conviction was recorded.
• Daniel-James Nyman, 27, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drug driving on Arthur St, Roma on November 19.
Nyman told police he had taken medicinal cannabis a couple of days earlier when police intercepted the Holden Commodore he was driving.
Despite initially telling police he had only taken medicinal cannabis, he later admitted to taking methamphetamine two days earlier as well, after drug analysis findings indicated the presence of the two drugs.
Nyman was given a 12 month probation order and disqualified from driving for three months.
A conviction was recorded.
• Kieren Maree Coulahan pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to low-range drink driving.
Coulahan told police she had finished a couple of Canadian Clubs half an hour earlier when police pulled her over at about 1.40pm on December 16, the court was told.
Coulahan was taken back to the Roma police station where a breath analysis came back with a BAC reading of .076.
“You have some history but it’s quite dated,” magistrate Shane Elliott said.
Coulahan was given a $400 fine and disqualified from driving for six weeks.
A conviction was recorded.
• A St George man has been caught drink driving in Roma despite his parole condition requiring him to abide by a zero-alcohol limit.
Alexander James Cochrane pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates to drink driving after police detected alcohol on his breath during a licence check.
At 10.45am on November 19, Roma police intercepted a white Holden Commodore on Feather St, Roma.
He was detained at the police station where breath analysis results revealed he had a reading of .069.
Cochrane told police he had consumed 1L of rum mixed with coke at a friend’s house in Wallumbilla between 1pm and midnight the previous night.
He was given a $350 fine and a one month disqualification from driving.
A conviction was recorded.
No conviction recorded:
• A P-plater caught drink driving without displaying his plates and not carrying his licence has landed in court for his behaviour.
Nicholas Luke Sokoll, 21, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drink driving over the general alcohol limit and not displaying his P-plates.
Police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said on April 21 police stopped a Silver Toyota Hilux for a random breath test when they discovered the provisional licence holder didn’t have his P-plates fitted to the car and was not carrying his drivers licence.
Further, breath analysis revealed Sokoll had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.098.
The apprentice carpenter admitted to police he had four schooners of mid-strength beer at the Commonwealth Hotel ten minutes earlier.
Police gave Sokoll a verbal warning for not carrying his drivers licence, while the other two matters were sent to court.
He was fined $500 for the two offences and disqualified from driving for three months. A conviction was recorded for the traffic charge.
• A Surat man who was found concealed behind a pile of waste taking a ‘pee’ offered a devastating reason for drinking rums and beers before getting behind the wheel.
Mark Andrew Petersen pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to drink driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.116.
Petersen told the court the reason for his drunk driving episode was because he had to euthanize his dog.
He was given a $200 fine and disqualified him from driving for three months. No conviction was recorded.
• A Charleville woman has pleaded guilty to drink driving after she was caught over the limit when travelling home from the Roma Cup last year.
Police intercepted a Toyota Prado driven by Brittany Louise Caithness on Raglan St, Roma at about 10am on November 20.
Caithness was breath tested and had a BAC of .051, Roma Magistrates Court was told.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Trembath said his client was drinking Lazy Bear rum and dry the night before and she felt fine to drive the next morning.
“This is out of character and she is remorseful,” Mr Trembath said.
“She had only eaten a hashbrown that morning.”
Magistrate Shane Elliott said he acknowledged how low the reading was and therefore handed Caitness a $100 fine and the minimum one month driving disqualification. No conviction was recorded.
Everybody appearing at Roma Magistrates Court, Friday, January 31
Here is a list of matters listed at Roma Magistrates Court on Friday.
Everybody appearing at Roma Magistrates Court, Thursday, January 30
Here is a list of matters listed at Roma Magistrates Court on Thursday.