Matthew Gayed: Preston psychology firm founder uses ice while driving

The man behind a psychology practice was caught with a stack of ice after he made a “stupid” decision to spark up — right in front of a police car.

Gayed was arrested by police in Preston. (Generic photo)

The founder of a psychology practice was caught with a large amount of meth after he lit up an ice pipe behind the wheel — while next to a police car.

Matthew Gayed, 37, fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to charges including careless driving and possessing meth.

Police watched Gayed light an ice pipe when he was stopped at a red light on Bell St, Coburg, about 5.25pm on August 20, 2019, before he drove on while smoking, with both hands on the pipe.

He was pulled over shortly after in Preston, when police found he had 14.1g of meth on him — more than four times a trafficable amount under the law.

The meth was found between five deal bags in his jacket pocket, wallet and under the driver’s seat.

Gayed’s lawyer told the court her client had the drugs only for personal use, and had bought a large amount to stock up.

It was heard he was a father of two young children and a successful professional, who had previously started a psychology practice with his wife.

The lawyer said the Preston man was wanting to re-enter the workforce, and would be making a valuable contribution to society in future, pushing for him to be handed a diversion.

But Magistrate Meagan Keogh said the incident was much too serious, saying Gayed actively engaging in drug use while driving was a “very serious example of careless driving”.

Further, Ms Keogh said it was “staggering” that Gayed had committed the crime in front of police.

“It doesn’t get any more blatant or stupid than that,” she said.

“I mean, how out of your head do you have to be to think, ‘Oh, this is going to go well”.

The lawyer told the court the jolt of being charged had been enough to make Gayed stop using the drug and he had not needed professional help to get off it.

Ms Keogh sentenced Gayed to a six-month adjourned undertaking without conviction, fining him $1000 and further ordering him to pay $1000 to the court fund.

Ms Keogh said she was being generous in not giving him a conviction, taking into account his lack of prior history.

His licence was suspended for two months.