$8000 fine after evading police on scooter

Scooter passengers fell off before driver drove away from police.

A man was fined $8000 after he evaded police on his scooter. Picture: FILE

A MAN who drove away from police on his scooter has been fined $8000 and lost his licence for three years.

Geoffrey Stephen Small, 42, of Cannonvale, leaded guilty in Proserpine Magistrates Court recently (January 21) to evasion, dangerous operation of a vehicle, driver of a vehicle who failed to remain at or near a road incident and assist injured people, and being a registered owner who failed to notify a change of address.

Prosecutor Robert Beamish said Small was riding a scooter in Airlie Esplanade in Airlie Beach at 8.30pm on October 18 with two passengers on the back of it.

The two men came off the back of the scooter and Small rode off on police who had seen him and tried to get him to stop, Mr Beamish said.

Small's solicitor Steven Hayles said the two people had asked his client for a lift for the short distance from Whitsunday Sailing Club - where he had been attending a function - into Airlie Beach.

Mr Hayles said a person on the scooter only received minor injuries in the incident.

These included gravel burns to arms and legs as well as grazes, and one passenger lost a toe-nail.

"The facts don't bear he had a callous disregard (for his passengers),” Mr Hayles said.

He told the court Small had "panicked” when he came to the attention of police for having two passengers and that was when his passengers fell off the scooter.

"It was a really silly mistake,” he said.

"It was a short period of offending.”

Small was fined $6600 and lost his licence for two years for evading police.

He was also fined $1000 for the dangerous operation of a vehicle and lost his licence for six months, as well as being fined $300 and having his licence disqualified for six months for failing to remain at the scene.

He was also fined $100 for failing to change his address.

No convictions were recorded by the court on any of the charges.