Disqualified driver Ryan Ruse pleads guilty after being caught behind wheel
A Northern NSW man who ‘just wanted to go for a drive’ despite a driving ban until 2027 tried to avoid a roadside breath testing site but police spotted him doing a U-turn over double white lines.
Police & Courts
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A young Pottsville man has been cautioned by a Tweed magistrate over his attempts to dodge police at a stationary road testing site while he was driving disqualified.
Ryan Ruse, 28, pleaded guilty in Tweed Heads Local Court on January 23 to breaching a conditional release order over his second disqualified driving offence.
Court documents state Ruse was travelling north along Tweed Coast Road in Bogangar toward a stationary roadside testing site on August 8, 2022.
As police saw the vehicle, Ruse did a U-turn over double white lines and accelerated, avoiding the testing site.
Police drove after Ruse and saw him turn into a BP Petrol Station at Hastings Point.
Upon police approaching the vehicle, Ruse started hitting the steering wheel with both hands, yelling out, “My life is f---ed now.”
Police questioned the Pottsville man about why he made a U-turn over the double white lines before the testing site.
Court documents state Ruse replied: “I’m sorry mate, I just wanted to go for a drive”.
“I’ve got to get my interlock, I do own a licence, it’s disqualified,” he said.
Police checks revealed Ruse was charged with a mid-range alcohol reading on February 7 2022, and attended Tweed Heads Local Court on March 21 2022, where he was disqualified until March 21 2027 unless he participated in an interlock program where his disqualification period would have ceased on May 7, 2022.
Magistrate Kathy Crittenden told Ruse his driving offences were a vicious cycle
“It’s pretty plain your conduct has breached the order that the court thought was appropriate,” she said.
“Driving matters generally come back to public safety.
“You knew you weren’t to drive.”
Ruse was convicted and sentenced to a community corrections order for 12 months, disqualified from driving for nine months, and is required to participate in the traffic offenders program.
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