Drink drivers, unlicensed drivers, assault offences at Southport Magistrate Court
A stable hand was ‘very lucky’ after she hit a cyclist on the Gold Coast while driving home from work.
Police & Courts
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A stable hand was “very lucky” after she hit a cyclist while driving home from work.
It follows an international student who touched a waitress on the buttocks while partying in a Gold Coast nightclub.
Rachael Elizabeth Pride
A stable hand was “very lucky” that a cyclist she hit while driving home from work sustained only minor injuries.
Rachael Elizabeth Pride pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle in Southport Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
The court was told the 26-year-old was swerving between traffic on December 30 last year when she hit a cyclist on Nerang Broadbeach Road, Carrara.
The cyclist slid off the bonnet of the car on to the road.
Pride stopped and stayed with the cyclist until he was taken to hospital for minor injuries, the court heard.
Pride described the cyclist as a “nice man” who tried to calm her down.
Magistrate Mark Howden said Pride was “very lucky” the cyclist received only minor injuries as she could have faced more serious charges.
He fined Pride $2000 and suspended her from driving for eight months.
Jayden Levi Hemming
A Gold Coast teenager has been put on a good behaviour bond for buying a stolen bike off a “crackhead”.
The Southport Magistrate Court heard on Tuesday that Jayden Levi Hemming bought the bike for $20 on March 10.
The 18-year-old was unaware it was stolen.
Police later questioned Hemming at Robina railway station and he was charged with unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty and was put on a $400 good behaviour bond for nine months.
Kelly van der Westhuizen
A former prefect and school sports captain shocked a magistrate when he discovered she was seven times over the limit when crashing her car into a fence.
The Southport Magistrate Court heard on Monday that Kelly van der Westhuizen was swerving uncontrollably in Southport on February 7.
The 29-year-old later crashed into a fence at the Southport State High School.
The psychologist was taken to hospital for head injuries. While there she recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.334.
Magistrate Mark Howden said he was surprised the reading didn’t cause van der Westhuizen to pass out.
“I still don’t understand, despite the submission of evidence, how this can occur,” he said.
“We rarely see readings that high.”
The court heard the incident was out of character for van der Westhuizen, who was a star student before graduating Griffith University and getting employment as a mental health service facilitator.
Magistrate Howden fined van der Westhuizen $2000 and suspended her from driving for 16 months.
Kevin Moceacagi
An international student can still pursue his dream of becoming a pilot despite pleading guilty to groping a nightclub waitress.
The Southport Magistrate Court heard on Monday that Kevin Moceacagi was in Surfers Paradise’s Havana RnB Nightclub drinking with mates on January 15.
The 21-year-was arrested after he grabbed a waitress on the buttocks, causing her distress.
The court heard it was the second time the Fijian had been drunk.
Moceacagi hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps as a pilot, the court was told.
Magistrate Mark Howden fined Moceacagi $400. No conviction was recorded, allowing him to travel.
Peter Faatiga Matautia
A Gold Coast father will be off the road for two years after driving to his own court hearing.
Peter Faatiga Matautia pleaded guilty to six charges in the Southport Magistrate Court on Monday.
They included three driving offences, two breaches of bail and failing to appear in accordance with undertaking.
The court heard the 32-year-old was caught driving without a licence and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle on January 4.
Ironically, he was on his way to the Southport Courthouse for his own hearing, the court was told.
His other offences date back to November 30, 2021.
Magistrate Mark Howden fined Matautia $1550 for all offences and suspended him from holding a licence for two years.
Paul Kendall Garry Grieve
A transport supervisor received a $1000 fine and was suspended from driving for six months after he was caught three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit.
The Southport Magistrate Court was told Paul Kendall Garry Grieve, 49, crashed his car into the side of a barrier on March 12 in Oxenford.
He recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.167.
Giancarlo Dodorico
A Gold Coast teenager was only two days away from getting his driver’s licence back when police nabbed him again.
Giancarlo Dodorico was caught driving on February 15 while suspended due to losing his demerit points.
The Southport Magistrate Court heard the 19-year-old was also driving an uninsured car, which had cancelled number plates.
Magistrate Mark Howden fined Dodorico $700 and suspended him from holding a licence for six months.
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