Dandenong magistrate Luisa Bazzani tees off at lawbreaking motorists
A FED-UP magistrate has vented her frustration after dealing with a dozen disqualified, drugged or drink drivers who fronted her Dandenong courtroom in less than two hours yesterday.
South East
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IN LESS than two hours yesterday, a dozen disqualified, drugged or drink drivers filed through Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in a constant conga line of road rule abusers.
In just one courtroom on the morning of September 18, a driver caught for the third time drivng unlicensed on ice, a disqualified motorist with six previous suspensions under his belt, and a mother of three caught drug-driving the morning after a party, all pleaded guilty.
The steady stream of druggie lawbreakers infuriated magistrate Luisa Bazzani, who eventually questioned whether “anyone in Dandenong actually had a valid licence”.
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In one case a woman was caught driving in Hampton Park with ice in her system.
This was her third time in three years; yesterday she was slapped with a big fine and another three years off the road.
The court also heard how a man was watched by police in an unmarked car as he drove straight from a Lynbrook pub to a bottle shop.
The 45-year disability pensioner soon after blew double the limit, having just finished drinking a can of his freshly-purchased beer.
That was his fifth drink-driving offence; he was sent to be assessed for a corrections order and potentially faces jail.
And then there was a 20-year-old who was caught driving while suspended after arguing with his girlfriend over a dinner date in Emerald.
The Pakenham tradie was ordered to do a road safety seminar.
The long arm of the law also nabbed high-flyers and hauled them into Dandenong Court.
An Elsternwick man who runs his own marketing company was captured unlicensed in Cranbourne by a numberplate recognition operation.
He has a “lousy” driving history, having already served time off the road for serious speeding, and was hit with a big fine and bond.
An angry Ms Bazzani said the road safety message didn’t seem to be getting through to the sheer number of people caught driving while disqualified, drugged or drunk.
She detailed the tragic case of the iced-up, speeding driver who killed a Frankston police officer on a charity bike ride last week.
“It is not a right to have a driving licence, it is a responsibility,” she told the court.
“Sooner or later you will end up in jail if you continue to breach road rules.”
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