Murrarie mother’s excuse for potentially ‘fatal’ speeding

A young mother who tried to claim her speedometer was faulty has been told by a court that “no one in their right mind” could go that fast over the Gateway Bridge and not realise they were speeding.

A young mother who attempted to claim her speedometer was faulty has been told by a court that “no one in their right mind” could do 130km/h over the Gateway Bridge and not realise they were speeding.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy today left Murrarie mother Maria Kayla Kostopoulos, 28, with an ominous warning at Wynnum Magistrates Court, after she pleaded guilty to disobeying the speed limit.

“Your child needs a mother,” Magistrate Kennedy said.

The court heard former finance worker Kostopoulos was pulled over by police at around 11.55am on July 2 when she “put herself and other road users at extraordinary risk” when she was clocked at 130km/h in the 80km/h zone.

Having crossed the bridge to the south the defendant – who had a history of numerous speeding events on her record – first attempted to argue that her speedometer was faulty but abandoned proceedings before pleading guilty today.

Maria Kostopoulos leaves Wynnum Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to speeding. Picture: Marcel Baum

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Duncan Blackburn gave little plausibility to the argument.

“No person in their right mind can say that was an honest mistake,” Sen Constable Blackburn said.

“This was a very fast speeding. It appears fines are not curbing her behaviour.”

A frequent traveller on the bridge himself, Magistrate Kennedy acknowledged speeding – especially drivers crossing to the north – was common at the location but affirmed the prosecution’s submission.

Magistrate Kennedy said even were she driving without a speedometer in the 80km/zone, she would have left drivers speeding at 100km/h in her wake at 130km/h.

Having confirmed her child was not present in the vehicle it was put to the defendant that she nonetheless was willing to place other road users’ children and grandchildren at risk.

A mistake at such a speed, the court was told, could easily have been “fatal”.

Defence solicitor Kurt McDonald told the court his client had previously worked in finance, presently worked with family and would complete the Queensland Traffic Offenders Program.

Kostopoulos was fined a mandatory $1245 dollars for high-range speeding and was “automatically” disqualified from driving for six months.

Supported at court by her mother, the defendant was implored to take the matter seriously.

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