Frankston drink drivers: Reece Kennedy, Robert Hansen, and Robert Sarec
An angry, alcohol-fuelled carpenter who took his precious 1965 Ford Mustang for a few burnouts after he let “his feelings get away from him” is one of Frankston’s worst boozers behind the wheel.
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The Frankston Magistrates’ Court has seen scores of drunk-drivers who decided to take a chance and get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
From remorseful dads to one man who’s now a paraplegic, here are some of the region’s worst offenders.
ROBERT HANSEN
Father of one Robert Hansen was almost four times the legal limit when he hit a road sign as he left the Frankston South Coles Express petrol station in March, 2020.
The 36-year-old, whose father was seriously injured by a motorist who was plastered behind the wheel a few years ago, pleaded guilty at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in September to drink driving.
The court heard other drivers were startled to see and hear a car crash into a road sign at the Robinsons Rd servo at 9.30am on March 7.
They called police who found Hansen slumped in the driver’s seat, with damage to the front and left side of his vehicle.
At Frankston police station Hansen blew .19, but couldn’t tell officers why he had drunk so much so early in the day, or why he had driven while he was so intoxicated.
His lawyer said Hansen was stressed and had turned to drink, and was remorseful for getting behind the wheel.
“It was very poor driving, police were called, you were out on a binge or a bender,” Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said.
“But I accept this was completely out of character, and as your doctors say, this was something that was embroiled with your mental health.”
Hansen was convicted and fined $750, and disqualified from driving for the mandatory minimum of 19 months, backdated to March.
PHILLIP TORPY
Langwarrin dad Phillip Torpy had left his seven-year-old daughter home alone to go and buy more booze when he was seen driving erratically by police.
The Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard Torpy’s car was seen by police as he drove into The Gateway shopping centre in Langwarrin about 8pm on July 27, 2019.
Torpy refused to take a breath test, saying he didn’t have the time to accompany officers back to the police station because his daughter was waiting for him.
He raced through the centre car park, spinning wheels over speed humps, before pulling up at a parking space.
He then got out of his car and started to walk away before officers caught up with him.
Torpy was breath-tested and registered a positive for alcohol, but when asked to accompany officers to the police station for an evidentiary test, he refused.
Despite being asked again, and told he would be banned for the mandatory two years if he continued to refuse, he said no.
“I showed a complete lack of judgment,” Torpy told the court.
“I’m sorry for my actions.”
Torpy was fined $1250 and disqualified from driving for two years. No conviction was recorded.
REECE KENNEDY
Frankston teen Reece Kennedy was lucky not to kill someone when he loaded up on cocktails and hooned around the streets.
The 18-year-old, who did not have a driver's licence, reached speeds of up to 100km/h as he drove over speed bumps near Venice Court in August.
A shocked witness was forced to desperately swerve out of Kennedy’s way when he came roaring around the corner on the wrong side of the road.
“(Kennedy) travelled home where the aggressive behaviour continued, punching both sides (of the car) and headlight (and) breaking the indicator,” the prosecution told the Frankston Magistrates’ Court.
A bloodied Kennedy was unruly with police when they arrived and arrested him, and he returned a breath test of .103.
Kennedy’s lawyer said her client was “very ashamed” of his actions and was committed to getting help for his alcohol addiction.
He was convicted and ordered to complete a 12-month community corrections order as well as 120 hours of unpaid community work.
ROBERT GEORGE SAREC
Angry, alcohol-fuelled Robert George Sarec told the Frankston Magistrates’ Court he did burnouts in front of his neighbour’s unit because he “let his feelings get away from him.”
Sarec, 44, pleaded guilty in August, 2019, to drink-driving, careless driving, resisting arrest, failing to give his details and using threatening words on March 1, 2019.
It came after the Carrum Downs carpenter became wound up after a dispute over a custody issue, so got a mate to give him a lift to a pub to knock back a few beers.
He then did the right thing and got an Uber home, but instead of going to sleep, he started up his 1965 Ford Mustang and did multiple burnouts.
Sarec threatened to attack a neighbour who came out to see what was going on, before the neighbour called police.
He registered a blood alcohol reading of .102 and his precious ride was impounded for 30 days under hoon legislation.
Sarec was fined $2000, disqualified from driving for 12 months, and ordered to complete a road trauma awareness course.
DARREN RAYMOND KNIGHT
Frankston North man Darren Knight, 46, was left a paraplegic after downing a number of beers and jumping on a motorbike near Yarram in June 2018.
The Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard Knight was camping with friends when they had beers and decided to go for a ride.
Knight lost control of the bike, flipping over the handlebars and landing on his back.
Police attended and an ambulance was called, and as they loaded him into a helicopter to be flown to The Alfred, he told them “he couldn’t feel his legs”.
Blood was taken, which would later be backdated to an alcohol reading of between .152 and .204.
The now wheelchair-bound man admitted drinking, but said he didn’t believe he would have been over the limit.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said no punishment he could hand out would compare to the penalty Knight had already imposed on himself.
“This was a completely life-changing experience,” Mr Gattuso said.
“It is an absolute tragedy what has happened to you.”
Knight was given the minimum driving ban of 15 months and a much lower than usual fine of $250.
JASON STEADMAN
Repeat drink-driver Jason Steadman tried to avoid a booze bus by hiding his car in a car wash.
The Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard the alcohol affected 48-year-old was on his way to buy milk when he came across a booze bus set up on Skye Rd, Frankston on March 31, 2018.
He tried to avoid being called into the line, signalling he wanted to go to the nearby servo.
When confronted he told officers he wasn’t the driver, he was on foot, and the car hidden in the car wash wasn’t his car.
It was in fact his wife’s, and it was impounded.
He walked back to the booze bus, blew .1 and revealed he hadn’t got his licence back since he lost it in 2012.
It was his fourth intoxicated indiscretion after being pinged in 2004, 2008 and 2012, when he was banned for 28 months.
“You’re not learning your lesson, I hope it doesn’t take imprisonment for you,” Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said.
Steadman was placed on a 12-month community corrections order, and was ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work, alcohol treatment and a road safety course.
He also lost his licence for another 20 months.