Anthony Vernon Steele caught driving with a homemade number plates

A tradesman with “sovereign citizen ideologies” was caught driving with a dodgy number plate on two occasions. Here’s how a court dealt with him.

Anthony Vernon Steele outside Byron Bay Court House.

A South Murwillumbah tradie with “sovereign citizen ideologies” was caught driving with a homemade number plate on two occasions.

Anthony Vernon Steele pleaded guilty at Byron Bay Local Court on Monday to two counts each of driving an uninsured and unregistered car without displaying authorised number plates.

The 40-year-old was charged on two occasions for these offences - on March 26 and May 2 last year, police state.

“The number plate had white paper stuck over the first letter with sticky tape on another letter. Mud was also covering the rear plate,” court documents state.

The court heard Steele had lost work because he refused to be vaccinated.

Anthony Vernon Steele has a history of traffic offences.

Defence lawyer Mani Shishineh said Steele has a registered floor installation business and did volunteer work during the floods.

“Since offending he has obtained registration for his car and completed the traffic offenders’ program,” he said.

“He no longer has the sovereign beliefs.”

The court heard Steele refused a random breath test during the offending and has a history of traffic matters including speeding.

Magistrate Karen Stafford said on the first offending occasion, Steele was pulled over by police and “sprouted sovereign-type ideologies”.

Byron Bay Court House.

“I accept from your letter all the things you claimed caused the people dealing with you time and effort for the sovereign citizen ideologies,” she said.

“You have seemingly renounced the sovereign ideologies, I’ve accepted you no longer maintain those views.

“The defacing of number plates by sovereign citizens is something I see a lot of. The purpose of number plates is so offences can be properly traced.”

Ms Stafford convicted Steele and fined him $2400.