Seth William King pleads guilty to property damage, driving charges

A roof plumber consumed what he believed to be cocaine on a night out, before testing positive for ice and cannabis after ploughing into a home’s front fence.

Seth King pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates' Court to failing an oral fluid test, wilful damaging property, failing to stop a vehicle after an accident and careless driving. Picture: supplied.

A roof plumber who ploughed into a Norlane home’s front fence has escaped without conviction.

Seth William King, 21, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to four charges; failing an oral fluid test, damaging property, failing to stop after an accident and careless driving.

The court heard that early in the morning of August 25 this year, police were patrolling in Norlane when they received reports a vehicle had destroyed fences on Shannahan Drive.

Officers raced to the scene, but the car had gone.

Witnesses told police of a nearby address where they might find the car and when officers arrived, a car with damage to the front was parked in the driveway.

The court heard its bonnet was still warm.

After his clothing was used to identify King as the driver, an oral fluid test revealed the presence of ice and cannabis in his system.

King told police he had been out with friends the night before and “remembered taking what he believed to be cocaine”, the court heard.

He said during the interview he drove as he didn’t feel intoxicated as he had very little to drink, and had just dropped off a friend near where the crash happened.

The court heard King, who was supported in court by his mother and girlfriend’s mother, was proactive and dropped off a letter of apology the day after the crash, along with a $500 deposit.

King’s lawyer, Simon Northeast, told the court King had “done everything he can” to compensate the victims, having already paid restitution including $2000 for a front fence, $250 for damage to a side fence and $1500 for the damage to the car, which was a courtesy car from his mechanic.

King was also a “good friend” of Little Malop St stabbing victim Jayme “Chugs” Sykes, the court heard.

Mr Northeast told the court King was ”generally anti-drug” and had sworn off drugs completely since the incident.

Magistrate Kimberly Swadesir said she was impressed by the steps King had taken since the crash, but noted “none of that would have had to occur if you hadn’t crashed into the fence in the first place”.

Ms Swadesir noted the crash could have been much worse if he had been going faster or his car had gone into the house, not the fence.

“(You were) a couple of metres away from doing that,” Ms Swadesir told King.

“I expect you will be thinking about that every time you drive … this wasn’t just a moment of inattention, you were affected by drugs.

“You shouldn’t have been in a vehicle.”

Ms Swadesir said there was a period between the ages of 18-25 when young men “think they’re supermen” and made reckless decisions.

She warned King not to be the reason his mother received a phone call from police with tragic news.

King was placed on a good behaviour bond, without conviction. His licence was disqualified for six months.

Originally published as Seth William King pleads guilty to property damage, driving charges