Josh David Sansucie sentenced for dangerous drive to Yandina Soccer Club

A Sunshine Coast soccer coach’s Australian residential visa could be at risk after he was seen swerving off the Bruce Highway and narrowly missing concrete barriers while on his way to a training session.

A Sunshine Coast soccer coach was seen talking to walls after swerving off the Bruce Highway and narrowly missing concrete barriers during a dangerous drive to a Yandina training session.

Josh David Sansucie was sentenced to a nine-month suspended sentence for two years on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to five charges including dangerous operation of a car and driving under the influence of a drug on July 12.

Police prosecutor Rebecca Lambert told the court two witnesses who followed Sansucie to the Yandina Soccer Club saw the coach drive off the road and into the gravel on the left shoulder before swerving back into his lane.

Senior Constable Lambert said Sansucie would speed excessively before quickly slowing down while in a 110km/h zone on the Bruce Highway.

She said Sansucie also narrowly missed concrete barriers and forced other drivers to take evasive action when he crossed over lanes after exiting the Bruce Highway.

After arriving at the Yandina Soccer Club Sansucie blew a zero alcohol reading before he was seen to be acting strangely and hugging trees.

“ (Sansucie) was observed to be speaking to walls and surveillance cameras and continually shouting random religious comments …,” Senior Constable Lambert said.

Josh David Sansucie was sentenced to a nine-month suspended sentence for two years on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to five charges including dangerous operation of a car and driving under the influence of a drug on July 12. Picture: File

Sansucie was arrested and taken to the Maroochydore watch house where he failed to provide a specimen of blood.

Senior Constable Lambert said Sansucie showed a “callous” disregard for other road users and was lucky there were not more serious consequences.

She suggested a 12 to 15 month prison sentence as an appropriate punishment for the behaviour.

The court heard Sansucie was on bail for the driving matters from July 12 when he was caught driving while suspended on August 12 and September 3.

Sansucie had two pages of traffic history and one page of criminal history with drug, property and failing to appear matters.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to all the charges in July and the matters was set down for hearing before an offence of driving without due care and attention was upgraded to dangerous operation.

Josh David Sansucie leaves Maroochydore Magistrates Court. Picture: Aisling Brennan

Solicitor Mark Gregory said Sansucie, who from a young age was working towards becoming an elite sportsman, was facing a tough decision about whether he would continue his soccer career or join the workforce.

Mr Gregory said Sansucie was overwhelmed by the decision and multiple other stresses when he drove dangerously while under the influence.

He said the 25-year-old South African-born man had a residential visa, but was not yet an Australian citizen.

The court heard his Australian resident status could be at risk depending on his sentence.

Mr Gregory suggested a nine to 12 month suspended sentence and a period of probation, combined with the minimum disqualification periods as an appropriate punishment.

Magistrate Christopher Callaghan accepted Sansucie was remorseful for his dangerous driving and said references tendered to the court spoke “highly” of him.

Mr Callaghan said police’s suggestion of a 12 to 15 months in prison was “outrageous”.

He was disqualified for a total of one year for the dangerous operation, failing to provide a specimen and driving under the influence and two years for each of the driving while suspended charges.

Convictions were recorded.