Stuart Paul Smith, 49, Loganlea jailed for $86k traffic, toll fines

A Loganlea man who racked up an $86,000 SPER debt has been jailed. But that’s only some of his astounding offending on the roads. Here’s what else he did.

A Loganlea man has been jailed for a $86 SPER debt and string of driving offences. FILE PHOTO

A Loganlea man has been sentenced to 15 months’ jail after an appalling traffic history including 17 counts of disqualified driving in two states and a whopping $85,918 SPER debt.

Stuart Paul Smith, 49, faced Beenleigh Magistrate Court on June 29 for four road-related offences including driving without a licence, possession of drug utensils/pipes, driving with drugs in his system and repeat driving without a licence.

The court heard that on August 22 last year Smith was driving along on Leda Drive, near the Hyperdome, despite a court order preventing him from holding or obtaining a licence.

On February 2 this year he was busted for driving on Kingston Rd, Loganlea while methamphetamine and amphetamine traces were present in his blood.

Police also found Smith smoking drugs from a utensil, the court heard.

Police prosecutor Harry Coburn said Smith had an extensive history of shocking driving offences in Victoria and Queensland.

“The defendant has six previous disqualified drives in Queensland, three previous drug drive offences and a total of 11 (disqualified driving offences) in Victoria,’’ he said.

“That’s a total of 17 prior convictions of disqualified driving.’’

Mr Coburn said the February 2 offences were among the most concerning.

“Not only is he not even allowed to be on the roads, even if he is driving perfectly sober and safely, but he is defying a court order with a cocktail of drugs in his system,’’ he said.

“The community and the court does not want this defendant on our roads. Clearly, court orders mean nothing to him.”

Mr Smith, who represented himself, said he was “just being stupid and driving”.

“I recently purchased an electric scooter to get around on,” he said.

Magistrate Michael O‘Driscoll asked Smith why he repeatedly got behind the wheel despite so many offences.

“So you understand disqualified driving is serious?” Mr O‘Driscoll asked him.

“You come from the state of Victoria where the prosecutor says (you had) 11 (driving related charges) … then you come to Queensland and have history in Queensland for the same type of offending.

“You said you acted stupidly, but why are you driving?

“You obviously know that whilst disqualified you are not welcome on our roads. So why do you continue to drive?”

Smith replied that he was “not actually sure”.

When Mr O’Driscoll asked about Smith’s State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) debt, he was told it included unpaid fines dating back to 2016 for similar offences and a long list of unpaid road tolls.

The court heard Smith’s total SPER debt was $85,918.06, with no repayments since September, 2015.

A Queensland Revenue Office spokesperson said Treasury could not provide a breakdown of the traffic fines.

“We cannot comment on individual cases,” a spokesperson said.

“SPER debts are money owed to Queenslanders. Funds recovered from unpaid fines help fund essential services and infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, public transport and roads.

“SPER debts don’t just go away, and the consequences can be serious, so it is important that people immediately deal with their debt.’’

The departments of Transport and Main Roads and the Attorney-General also said they could not provide a breakdown of the fines.

Mr O’Driscoll said it was obvious Smith was not deterred by fines.

“So it appears the only penalty I can impose upon you today is an order for imprisonment,” he said.

“You are not welcome on our roads and if you are foolish to drive again you will automatically go back to prison.”

He sentenced Smith to 15 months’ jail, with parole eligibility on September 29.