Sunshine Magistrates Court wrap: Three men plead guilty to offences across Melbourne’s west

A speeding sparky and a man who used fake cash to pay for his Maccas order fronted Sunshine Magistrates Court last week. Read the details.

From a repeated drug driver copping a heavy fine to a sparky caught driving at almost twice the speed limit, a magistrate presided over many cases at Sunshine last week.

Read some of the cases.

Matters are still being heard everyday while Sunshine Magistrates' Court undergoes major renovations. Picture: Ellen Smith

Patrick Benno Joseph

A self-employed electrician who was clocked driving at almost twice the speed limit told police he was late to meeting a friend in town.

Patrick Benno Joseph was intercepted by police on May 29, 2021 travelling 116 km/h in a 60km/h zone along Ballarat Rd in Footscray.

The court heard that a roadside breath test was conducted and he blew 0.069.

During sentencing, he told the court there was no excuse for his actions and that he was “just being silly”.

Joseph said he understood he would lose his licence but asked for leniency as he currently drives his sick mother to medical appointments and no one else was able to drive her.

His vehicle was impounded for 30 days but after travelling overseas he was unable to recover the vehicle as it had been sent to auction.

The magistrate said his offending was “outrageous” and refused to accept that did not know that he was excessively speeding.

Joseph was fined $1000 and suspended from driving for 12 months for speeding and six months for drink driving, to be served concurrently.

Jake Borg

A carpenter who used counterfeit money to pocket real change at a fast food drive-thru also attempted to strip a house he thought was being demolished.

In May 2020, Jake Borg attended a Keilor McDonalds and purchased a $7 meal with a counterfeit $100 note, driving off with $93 change.

A short time after, the accused attended a second McDonalds further south in the same white Toyota HiLux and attempted to pay with another counterfeit $100 note.

However, when the attendant called for their manager to inspect the note, Borg drove off leaving the note and drinks he ordered behind.

The court also heard that in February 2021, Borg and a co-accused attended a house they were told was being demolished and entered a number of sheds before going into the house, initially gaining access through a broken window.

The pair searched multiple rooms in the house for about 10 minutes before the home’s occupants arrived and disturbed them.

Police arrived a short time later and arrested Borg.

His defence lawyer told the court that while he felt great shame about his offending during that period, he was proud of overcoming a meth addiction.

Borg was ordered to pay a $2000 fine.

No convictions were recorded.

Benjamin Michael Gillie

A Melton man who lost his licence after he was clocked driving at 40km/h over the speed limit with meth in his system will now aim to get a medicinal drug prescription.

On April 16 2022, Benjamin Michael Gillie was recorded by police travelling 111 km/h in a 70 zone on the Melton Hwy.

After a preliminary oral roadside test, Gillie tested positive to traces of methamphetamine and THC.

He was unable to give police a reason for his driving.

On July 18, Gillie was intercepted by police at 12.06am driving a red Hyundai westbound on High St, Melton.

He was detected travelling 81km/h on the stretch of road which is a 60km/h zone.

Gillie was transported to the nearby police station where he recorded a reading of 0.045, however, at the time he was required to blow zero.

He also tested positive to traces of THC after a drug test.

He told police his reason for speeding was to get his partner’s car home so it would not be impounded.

Gillie was fined $1500 and his licence was suspended for six months for the speeding offences and 18 months for the drug driving offences which are to be served concurrently.

He told the Magistrates he is now clean of meth use but his actions at the time were examples of poor decision making.

He also told the magistrate he will now try and obtain a prescription for medicinal cannabis as he uses it everyday but does not believe it affects his work ethic.