Australian model Eileen Cassidy pleads guilty to charges including driving while suspended

A jetsetting Sydney-based glamour model and Instagram influencer has blamed her driving woes on a luxurious lifestyle.

Model Eileen Cassidy pleaded guilty to driving while suspended. Instagram.

A high-profile model has used her international jetsetting lifestyle and VicRoads’ mailing policy as excuses for her illegal driving escapade.

Eileen Cassidy, 30, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to multiple charges including driving while suspended.

Police, who intercepted Cassidy at South Yarra in April 2019, informed the glamour model her licence had been suspended due to a demerit point demolition.

“Ah there was a bit of an issue between VicRoads and Victoria Police both I was like going back and forth for like long time but as far as I’m concerned I’ve got it (my licence),” Cassidy told police.

Police informed Cassidy again that their database was “telling them” her licence was suspended.

“What?” she said.

The Instagram influencer was charged and her car was impounded for 30 days at a cost of almost $900.

Cassidy was back in trouble after she was nabbed using her phone while driving through a St Kilda intersection on July 16 last year.

Cassidy worked as a model between Melbourne and Bali.

Cassidy is now based in Sydney.

Police spotted Cassidy, who the court heard had multiple priors stretching back to 2010, with her phone at “steering wheel” level.

Cassidy had been looking at her phone just prior to driving through the Barkly St and Grey St intersection, the court was told.

Police, who intercepted Cassidy on Barkly St, told the serial road pest she was using her phone while driving.

“No, I was playing with my rings,” Cassidy told police.

“Before you got to the intersection you were looking down and then you looked up to go through the intersection, as you went through it, straight past us, you had your phone in your left hand, I saw it,” a police member told Cassidy.

Cassidy copped a hefty fine and another four demerit points went down the drain but she elected to have the matter heard at court.

Cassidy is also a social media influencer.

Cassidy was handed a good behaviour bond.

Brett Tait, for Cassidy, told the court he had “formed the view” his client had an “honest belief” her licence was not suspended.

“My client served, in her mind, the balance of the suspension through to February … she sold her car, she reorganised her affairs …,” Mr Tait said.

“Miss Cassidy works as a model, as an influencer, she’s recently started her own clothing label and she does a lot of work and has done over the years in Bali, she relocated for much of that period to Bali …

“She was going backwards and forwards between Melbourne and Bali and the address her VicRoads licence advice was being sent to is a former flatmate, she wasn’t residing there, she wasn’t really residing anywhere permanently … and was receiving mail intermittently …

“I would ask the court to accept the belief was held honestly but arguably not reasonably …

“It highlights a matter your honour, that I have been harping on for many, many years, I don’t quite understand why VicRoads doesn’t use registered post for the correspondence where the consequences of not receiving such a correspondence is so serious …”

Cassidy was also fined for using a phone while driving.

Cassidy recently bought a car.

Mr Tait asked the court not to “interfere” further with his client’s licence.

“She recently bought a car … she’s moved to Sydney … she’s had the financial penalty of the impound …,” Mr Tait said.

“While you say its onerous for drivers who use their cars for work to stay on top of demerit points is a responsibility that comes with … the privilege of driving,” Magistrate Hayley Bate said.

“Your client needs to make sure, especially when she is coming and going from different jurisdictions, that she is well aware of what the status of her licence is before she gets in a vehicle when she returns … as she did on this occasion … hopefully she’s learnt from this experience.”

Magistrate Bate spared Cassidy, formerly of St Kilda, further loss of licence but reimposed the $496 mobile phone fine.

Cassidy, who appeared via videolink from Sydney, was also placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond and ordered to make a $100 donation to the road trauma support service.

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