Michael Rhynsburger sentenced for eight drug-driving offences
A pot-smoking driver has narrowly avoided jail, despite being caught drug-driving eight times.
Outer East
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A pot-smoking driver has narrowly avoided jail, despite being caught drug-driving eight times.
Michael Rhynsburger, 51, pleaded guilty to eight charges of driving while affected by cannabis at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.
Court documents reveal police caught Rhynsburger drug-driving in Croydon, Lilydale, Chirnside Park, Bayswater and Wandin North between September 2015 and August 2018.
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Rhynsburger’s defence lawyer told the court her client had significant health issues and was in remission after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016.
The lawyer said Rhynsburger had used cannabis to deal with chronic back pain following a car accident in 1997.
The court heard Rhynsburger was on a disability support pension and while he had tried “lawful medication” he found cannabis was the most effective way to ease his pain.
His lawyer said Rhynsburger lives in a bus and works on a casual basis mowing lawns at a Monbulk wedding venue.
Magistrate Jan Maclean said Rhynsburger clearly had a problem with cannabis use.
Ms Maclean said Rhynsburger was “clueless” and it was a problem to the community that he continued to get in the car and drive.
She said Rhynsburger’s health conditions were the only thing stopping her from giving him a jail sentence.
“In case the penny hasn’t dropped yet, if you continue to commit offences of this kind, you will be at significant risk of imprisonment,” Ms Maclean said.
Ms Maclean suspended Rhynsburger’s driver’s licence for two years and sentenced him to an 18-month community corrections order with 200 hours unpaid community service.
She also ordered Rhynsburger undertake drug and mental health rehabilitation and said up to 50 hours of treatment could be credited to his community service period.
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