Chunyu Li, Angus Mochrie and Morgan Unger appear in Moorabbin court
A woman has been slapped with a huge fine after blaming her hoon behaviour on “being late for an important meeting” — and she wasn’t the one busted for woeful driving.
South East
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A woman who was “late to an important meeting”, a landscaper who didn’t know his licence was suspended and a man who’s impeccable driving record saved him from the wrath of the Burnley Tunnel have all fronted Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court.
Morgan Unger
A woman has told a court she was on her way to an “important meeting” when she was caught speeding, while unlicensed and in an unregistered car.
Morgan Unger, 24, pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on July 7, after highway patrol officers clocked her going 93km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Officers saw the Monash science student travelling on the Dingley Bypass in Heatherton on January 21 where their radar pinged her 13km/h above the speed limit.
Unger was intercepted a short time later on South Rd in Moorabbin, where she produced a WA licence.
Further investigations revealed Unger was suspended and unable to legally drive in Victoria due to demerit point accumulation.
Officers also discovered Unger’s car to be unregistered.
She acknowledged the suspension period, but said she didn’t know her car had been unregistered.
“I knew I’d lost the demerit points, I’d paid off quite a few speeding fines previously,” she said.
When asked why she was driving unlicensed, she said she was “late for an important meeting.”
In court on Friday, Unger explained she had an agreement with her mum in Perth to pay the registration.
“I have ADHD, so I have an arrangement with my mum to pay my registration” she said.
“She only told me recently that she hadn’t paid it at the time, which was why I was driving unregistered.
“While I’m an adult and it is my onus to pay myself, due to my mental health issues, it’s hard to keep track of things like that.”
Magistrate Stephen Lee said due to her age, his focus was on her chances of rehabilitation.
“You have the benefit of your youth, and your chances of rehabilitation,” he said.
“I’m taking into account your obvious remorse and your guilty plea, but this is a serious speeding offence.”
Mr Lee said the offending was mitigated by the impoundment fee of $932, that Unger had already paid.
“I’m mitigating the fine due to your circumstances, I know it’s hard being a young person,” he said.
“I can understand the communication between your mother and you, but of course, when you’re driving a car, you have to know whether it’s registered,” he said.
Mr Lee fined Unger $1200 without conviction, and did not suspend her licence further.
“I don’t want to unduly punish you, but I do have to take into account your offending and mitigate the chances of you doing it again,” he said.
Angus Mochrie
A landscaper caught driving to work while suspended has told a Melbourne court he “didn’t know he was suspended”/
Angus Mochrie, 31, pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on July 7, after highway patrol officers caught him driving in Caulfield East with a suspended licence.
The court heard Mochrie had been on his way to work on March 1 when patrolling officers were alerted to his licence status through automatic number plate recognition technology.
Police intercepted Mochrie at 10.25am, where they informed him of his suspension.
The court heard Mochrie told police he had elected to accept a demerit point bond earlier in the year for a 12 month period.
He said he “had not received any other traffic camera fines since the bond and no notification of the suspension.”
When asked why he was driving while suspended, Mochrie said he was on his way to work.
“I’m just going to work,” he said.
“I didn’t know I was suspended.”
Mochrie’s car was then impounded for 30 days.
Magistrate Stephen Lee said his payment for the impoundment mitigated the driving offence.
“The cost of the impoundment was $923, that isn’t insignificant,” he said.
“You’ve put forward an impressive plea, with impressive references, I’ll accept your submission that it was a mistake.”
Mr Lee said he took into account Mochrie’s early plea of guilty, and his minimal priors.
Mochrie was fined $200 without conviction and had no further limitations for his licence.
Chunyu Li
A Singaporean man has had a lucky break after getting caught speeding in the Burnley Tunnel by a traffic camera.
Chunyu Li pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on July 7 after a traffic camera caught him doing 65km/h in a 40km/h zone.
Li, who was captured in the Burnley Tunnel at 12.56am on January 18 told the court he “did not have enough time to slow down.”
“On the night, there were no road work signs before I entered the tunnel,” he said.
“Before I entered the tunnel the speed limit was 80km/h.”
Li said he saw the secondary sign once he’d entered the tunnel, but it was too late for him to slow down enough.
“You can’t slow down from 80km/h to 40km/h in such a short space of time,” he said.
“It’s meant to be a gradual change.”
Magistrate Stephen Lee told the court he had heard a number of similar accounts about the Burnley Tunnel.
“I’ve heard this same story from many people, where they haven’t had enough time to slow down,” he said.
“I can see on your record you’ve sped on this day, but never before or since then.”
Originally from Singapore, the court heard Li had been driving in Victoria for the past 15 years.
“Your driving record is excellent,” Mr Lee said.
“I’m taking that into account today because this is the first time you’re appearing in any court. You have an impeccable record, so you’re getting the benefit of the doubt.”
Mr Lee said he was also taking the similar stories he’d heard into consideration.
“I’ve seen many people before you with the same issue at the Burnley Tunnel,” he said.
“I’ve got no choice on the licence suspension, but I won’t be imposing a financial penalty on you.”
Mr Lee suspended Li’s licence for the mandatory three months and otherwise dismissed the charge.
“You’ve been a bit unlucky, but that is the price you’ll have to pay for being in the Burnley Tunnel that night,” Mr Lee said.
gemma.scerri@news.com.au
