Driving offences heard in Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on July 17, 2023

A dangerous driver speeding through Ballarat, a P-plater who blew 0.15, and a woman who nailed 20 vodkas before driving have all faced Ballarat court.

A variety of driving offences were heard in Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Monday. Picture: Shutterstock

Drivers involved in offences behind the wheel face Ballarat Magistrates’ Court in droves each week.

Here are just some who were accused or convicted of driving disqualified or while drunk who made appearances on Monday, July 17, 2023.

“Outrageous” driver risks other motorists’ lives

Damien Bambridge, 33, faced court on Monday charged with dangerous driving, exceeding the speed limit by more than 25km/h, failing to stop on police request, and more.

The court heard that in October 2022, a car driven by Bambridge without number plates in Howitt St collided with a second vehicle, which spun out and collided with a fence.

On January 2, 2023, a black commodore driven by Bambridge made a U-turn on the Glenelg Highway near a no U-turn sign.

He then drove into a McDonald’s car park, with police moving to intercept him.

But Bambridge collided with another vehicle and drove past the police, continuing onward despite the police’s lights and sirens.

He reached a “steady” 95km/h in a 60km/h zone on Skipton St and soon ran red light.

Multiple triple-0 calls were made about the manner of his driving.

Police later saw the vehicle parked in a driveway.

Checks revealed Bambridge was unlicensed and the commodore was unregistered.

The car was impounded for $1495.

On June 21, police saw Bambridge driving on Ring Rd, Wendouree in a car with a cancelled number plate.

He was arrested at an address in the same suburb.

The court heard Bambridge had “quite a history” of driving offences.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski called his driving “outrageous”.

“Everyone else’s life is at risk because you want to get away,” he said.

Bambridge received a two-year licence suspension, a $2000 fine, and six months’ imprisonment with 26 days already served.

Pinged with “poorly-made” plates

A 32-year-old man copped a talking-to for thinking “the road rules don’t apply” to him.

Joel Collinson was disqualified from driving in 2018 and has not held a licence since, the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.

On January 20, 2023, police saw Collinson driving on Barkly St in Golden Point.

When pulled over, he told officers he didn’t have a licence, and his vehicle was impounded for more than $1300.

The man also had “poorly made” false number plates, which were seized.

“You just don’t care,” Ms Zebrowski said.

With reference to Collinsons’ regret, he said: “Have you ever heard the expression ‘There’s no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole?’

“ … The proof’s in the pudding.”

Collinson was fined $1500.

Allegedly tagged in “tradies trap”

A Geelong woman allegedly drank 20 glasses of vodka and got behind the wheel only a few hours later.

Jessika Harvey, 34, was intercepted by police about 10.30am on November 2, 2022 allegedly going about 100km/h in an 80km/h zone.

The Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard she admitted to officers that she had consumed 20 glasses of vodka between 7pm the night before to 5am that day.

When a second police vehicle arrived with breath-analysing equipment, Ms Harvey allegedly refused to accompany police for the test and requested a female officer be present.

She began filming the situation.

“I’m not refusing,” she said. “I want a female police officer.”

Mr Zebrowski called drinking late at night and driving the next morning “the old tradies trap”.

The matter was adjourned so that Ms Harvey could seek legal representation.

P-plater “blew it” by driving over the limit

Matthew Davies, 20, told the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Monday that driving with alcohol in his system was “stupid”.

The court heard police saw a vehicle “travelling erratically” through a roundabout on Dana St on January 21, 2023.

Davies, the driver, was slurring his words, and a breath test at the police station showed he had a BAC of 0.152.

He told police he had been drinking whisky in Geelong throughout the day.

Davies’ lawyer asked that her client receive no conviction for the offending, but Mr Zebroswki quoted the TAC campaign, saying it was common knowledge that “if you drink and you drive, you’re a bloody idiot”.

“You knew what you were doing, you took a risk, and no pun intended, you blew it,” he said.

Davies’ licence was disqualified for 15 months from January 21, and he was convicted and fined $500 for the drink driving.