Gold Coast crime: Drink drivers, drugs and weapons in Southport Magistrates Court cases
From a nurse who drove while five-times the legal blood alcohol limit to a wildlife handler caught with a drug pipe, recap the week in Southport Magistrate Court.
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From a Gold Coast man crashing his mates car to a dancer getting caught three-times over the legal alcohol limit while driving – this is what happened in Southport Magistrates Court this week.
Carolyn Gai Veivers
A NURSE drove around a major Gold Coast shopping centre car park while five-times the legal blood alcohol limit, a court has heard.
Carolyn Gai Veivers pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Wednesday to driving under the influence.
An off-duty ambulance worker thought the 59-year-old looked intoxicated before she got into her car at the Pacific Fair car park on January 24.
Police prosecutor Christopher Freeman said Veivers drove around the car park before the worker intercepted the car and took her keys until police arrived.
Veivers recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.288 at the Broadbeach Police Station shortly after.
Her defence lawyer, Mark Savic said Veivers had “a few wines” over lunch after doing some shopping and her intention was to re-park the car before watching a movie.
Magistrate Kerry Magee said a couple of wines over lunch wouldn’t result in a reading that “put lives at risk”.
Veivers was fined $1500 and suspended from driving for 12 months. No conviction was recorded.
Navarh Kaiapa Tozer
A MAN has been banned from driving for six months after his car lost two wheels during a crash in Southport.
Navarh Kaiapa Tozer pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Wednesday to driving under the influence.
Tozer’s vehicle was found in shrubs off the Smith Street-Olsen Ave intersection at 4.30am on February 12.
Police prosecutor Christopher Freeman said Tozer’s car was so badly damaged that two wheels had fallen off.
Tozer, 28, recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.151.
The court heard Tozer had recently been through a break-up and had been drinking at the Oxenford Tavern.
Magistrate Kerry Magee fined Tozer $900 and suspended him from driving for six months.
No conviction was recorded.
Trevor Lee Sutton
A GOLD COAST artist and writer was caught drink driving after seven hours of consuming alcohol, a court has heard.
Trevor Lee Sutton pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrate Court on Wednesday to being in charge of a motor vehicle when over the middle alcohol limit.
The 65-year-old was spotted in his car in a disabled park on Margaret Ave, Broadbeach at 1am on February 6.
Police said Sutton looking glassy-eyed and his speech was slurred.
Sutton recorded a blood-alcohol reading 0.134.
Sutton told police he had six wines over a seven-hour period and was attempting to drop his friend off at the Q Super Centre in Mermaid Waters.
Sutton, who is also a writer and artist, is semi-retired and provides assistance to his elderly mother.
Magistrate Kerry Magee fined Sutton $700 and suspended him from driving for four months.
No conviction was recorded.
Luke Adrian Sheppard
A WILDLIFE handler had to pay $150 compensation after being caught with drug glass pipe while visiting a friend.
Luke Adrian Sheppard pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Tuesday to possessing utensils or pipes that had been used.
The 27-year-old was caught with a glass pipe that had been used for methamphetamines on February 8.
Police prosecutor Christopher Freeman said police were told about drug-affected people at the Tiki Hotel in Surfers Paradise at 11.30am.
When asked by police if he had anything on him that he shouldn’t have, Sheppard handed over a glass pipe from his waistband, Mr Freeman said.
Sheppard said he was visiting a friend at Tiki Hotel and that the pipe did not belong to him but he used it to smoke methamphetamine, Mr Freeman said.
The court was told Sheppard worked as a wildlife handler at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary but he was unable to work there due to Covid-19 restrictions. He does cleaning jobs and is on Centrelink until he can return to the sanctuary, the court was told.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Sheppeard $150 in compensation and ordered him to attend a drug-assistant education session. No conviction was recorded.
Tellas Maru Werahiko
A TEEN caught travelling 100km/h in a 50km/h zone was banned from driving by his mother well before his licence was suspended.
Tellas Maru Werahiko pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Tuesday to driving without due care and attention or driving with reasonable consideration for others.
The 19-year-old was caught at 3.44am on August 28 last year driving at over 100km/h in a 50km/h zone in Coomera.
Police prosecutor Christopher Freeman said the car took a sharp left turn on to Foxwell Road and crashed into a median strip.
Werahiko’s defence lawyer Bruck Affleck said his client, who was sober, drove his friends home after they Ubered to his home intoxicated after a night out.
Mr Affleck said it was a “learning experience” and Werahiko was very remorseful.
Despite not receiving a notice that he had a suspended licence, Werahiko didn’t drive for a number of months and his mother prevented him from driving the family car, Mr Affleck said.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Werahiko $300 and no conviction was recorded.
Zachary Sheppard
A GOLD Coast man who smashed his friend’s car into three parked vehicles while drunk had been asked just to check if it would start because the lights were left on, a court has heard.
Zachary Sheppard pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to driving a vehicle without a licence, failure to comply with duties of a driver involved in a crash and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
A court heard the 20-year-old was at a Nerang property drinking with a friend on January 4.
At 11pm Sheppard was asked by his friend to see if the friend’s car would start because he noticed its headlights were still on, the court heard.
Sheppard, who did not have a driver’s licence, started the car and then drove down The Avenue in Nerang and hit three parked cars.
The next day Sheppard attended the Nerang Police Station and was arrested for the incident.
A court heard Sheppard could not explain to police why he drove the vehicle and could not remember the details of the crash because he was intoxicated.
He left the scene because his head was bleeding and he thought a group of people approaching him were going to bash him, a court was told.
Sheppard’s defence lawyer Mollie Roper, of Cooper Roper Legal, said Sheppard worked part-time as a landscaper and was paying for the damage to the car he drove in the incident.
Ms Ropper said the payment for the other three cars’ repairs were waiting on court results.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan sentenced Sheppard to 16 hours community service and he is unable to obtain a drivers licence for three months.
No conviction was recorded.
Peter Gaston Houriez Hakomani
A GOLD Coast father-of-two was unaware carrying a knife was a crime, a court has heard.
Peter Gaston Houriez Hakomani pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to possess utensils or pipes that had been used, possessing dangerous drugs and possession of a knife in a public place.
The 29-year-old was pulled over on his motorbike by police on January 6 at 9.45am in Labrador.
A court was told Hakomani had a pocket knife, a bag containing a used syringe and a small amount of cannabis.
Hakomani’s defence lawyer Mollie Ropper, of Cooper Ropper Legal, said her client used cannabis in the past for anxiety with a prescription and he was not aware carrying a knife was a crime when he was pulled over.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan warned Hakomani to only use the amount of cannabis that is prescribed to him.
She said his behaviour was concerning for a father.
Hakomani was fined $400 and no conviction was recorded.
REVEALED: GOLD COAST HUBS WHERE ILLEGAL BROTHELS THRIVE
Bobby Mark Rive
A DANCER was caught driving with over three times the legal alcohol limit in his system on the Gold Coast.
Bobby Mark Rive pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to driving under the influence.
The court was told on January 23, 2022, Rive was pulled over by police while driving in Upper Coomera on Abraham Road.
At 6.45pm police patrolling the area inspected Rive on the off ramp and took him back to the Coomera Police Station where the 37-year-old recorded a reading blood alcohol reading of 0.162.
A court heard the father-of-two does stunt and dance activities for work along with part-time work at a car wash.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Rive $1000 and suspended him from driving for eight months.
No conviction was recorded.
Garreth Charles Murphy
A GOLD Coast glazier spent a night behind bars after running from police in the Whitsundays.
Garreth Charles Murphy pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to obstructing a police officer in a public place.
A court was told on December 18 last year Murphy was among three men who were identified by Airlie Beach hotel security to police just before 10.30pm.
The Whitsundays Police had to chase the men who started running.
A court was told one of the men was caught and placed under arrest by the officers.
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Murphy and another man stopped and approached police and Murphy yelled aggressively “get off him” and postured to one officer like he wanted to fight, the court was told.
After telling Murphy he was from the police force, the officer pointed his taser at Murphy and directed him to get on the ground.
Murphy was arrested and was in the watch-house from 10.30pm that night until 8.30am the next morning.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Murphy $400 and sentenced him to 14 hours of community services.
No conviction was recorded.
Mitchell William Grainger
A BARBER was found to have ammunition in his car during a raid on a Gold Coast property.
Mitchell William Grainger pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to authority required to possess explosives.
The court heard police found in a car that belonged to Grainger, who owns three barber shops on the Gold Coast, a box with .22 calibre ammunition, containing 42 rounds.
Grainger told police the box was left in his vehicle after going on a hunting trip with his mates, a court was told.
The 35-year-old does not hold a licence to possess the items found.
The car was searched after police contained a search warrant for a property in Nerang, including the vehicle in its driveway.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Grainger $200.
No conviction was recorded.
James Benjamin Woods
A car dealer who didn’t have the money to drive his BMW out of a car park was found to be over the legal alcohol limit.
James Benjamin Woods pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrate Court on Monday to driving over the general alcohol limit.
A court was told Woods was seen acting erratically before entering a Surfers Paradise car park on December 5 last year.
He entered the car park at 10pm and drove his BMW to the gates but did not have his credit card to pay for the parking, a court heard.
Woods then walked along the Gold Coast Highway before being stopped by police a short time after and he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.075.
Woods’ defence lawyer Joshua Tiffin said because his client didn’t leave the car park he posed an “insignificant risk” to the general public.
Magistrate Veena Goverdhan fined Grainger $650 and suspended him from driving for two months.
No conviction was recorded.
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Originally published as Gold Coast crime: Drink drivers, drugs and weapons in Southport Magistrates Court cases
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