Tony Sautu in Korumburra Magistrates’ Court over unlicensed and drug driving

A Melbourne scaffolder who was working on the San Remo Bridge was busted with meth and cannabis in his system, all while driving while unlicenced.

Tony Sautu fronted the Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

A Highett scaffolder was on his way to work at the San Remo Bridge when he was pulled over by police, busted with drugs in his system and driving without a licence.

Tony Sautu, 36, fronted the Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to driving while his licence was cancelled and failing an oral fluid test, while another charge was struck out.

Sautu was driving on Phillip Island Rd in Anderson when he was pulled over on June 7 last year.

After officers discovered Sautu didn’t have a licence, drug tests revealed he had cannabis and methamphetamine in his system.

Sautu, who was self-represented, told the court he was helping with works on the San Remo Bridge and was running late, which is why he drove.

He said he took the drugs two days earlier and had gone down the wrong path.

Sautu was on his way to help with works on the San Remo Bridge when he was pulled over by police in Anderson last year.

“I’m actually kind of grateful to have lost my licence because it’s putting everything into perspective,” Sautu said.

“It’s kind of cleaned up my act — I could be in jail, I could be dead — I could’ve injured someone as well.”

Character references read out in court said Sautu was an advanced scaffolder who worked across different jobs in Melbourne.
Magistrate Stephen Lee said Sautu had impressive references, he had integrity as a person and showed good insight.

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“But here there’s been a bit of an error by you,” Mr Lee said.

“The effect of meth when you’re driving a car includes risk taking, agitation, confusion and decreased attention.

“And you’re more than likely to drive erratically, to speed and take risks — that’s what the science says.

“They (cannabis and meth) work together to make it even worse.”

Sautu had prior offences which included speeding, driving while suspended and failing to report an accident.

He was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for a year without a conviction.