Drug-using L-Plater smashed into bridal store in Double Bay
A magistrate has ripped into a young man — who she described as ‘a bad driver’ and ‘not of good character’ — after he crashed his ute into an eastern suburbs bridal shop.
Wentworth Courier
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An L-plater who crashed his ute into a Double Bay bridal store had both cocaine and cannabis in his system.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milldge savaged 19-year-old Christian Saikali as he was sentenced on Friday, branding him a “drug user and a bad driver”.
Saikali’s license was suspended for six months and he was ordered to pay damages to Savvy Brides, the shopfront he damaged after losing control of a Toyota Hilux on a fine September evening this year.
The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of negligent driving, driving unaccompanied and not displaying L-plates and was ordered to pay a $1000 fine and $4565 in compensation to the designer dress shop.
Defence Zynal Khan told Downing Centre Local Court his client was “very remorseful” for his actions and said Saikali decided to drive because he was delivering “glue” to a job site.
The unemployed Saikali is an heir to his father’s business, Shellbay Stones.
“He wanted to show he was a reliable person by finishing the job,” Mr Khan said.
But Magistrate Jacqueline Milldge was having none of it, calling the Woollahra man’s driving “dangerous and deadly” and rejecting notions he was of otherwise good character.
“He’s a drug user, he’s not of good character … and a bad driver,” she said.
“How dare you drive like this. You’ve got no regard for the law.”
Police facts state the teenager was driving erratically on Saturday, September 25 along New South Head Rd in Double Bay when he cut a corner onto Manning Rd about 7pm.
Several witnesses saw the crash unfold, with one observing the Hilux changing lanes without indicating before taking an early turn, veering toward a stationary black 4WD.
The ute then went into a “four wheel sideways drift” on the wrong side of the road and careered into Savvy Brides at 1 Manning Rd. The shop window was extensively damaged.
Saikali sustained a broken wrist in the crash and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment.
A police drug test returned positive results for cannabis and cocaine.
The then 18-year-old admitted to having smoked weed a week prior to the incident, and snorting cocaine between 8pm and 12am the night before the incident.
Saikali, who on Thursday celebrated his birthday, told the court he knew “I was in the wrong”, but Magistrate Milledge was not in a lenient mood.
“Your behaviour on the road was absolutely frightening,” she said.
Police facts state further charges could be laid on the return of blood tests.