Euan Abell, Yang Mao Zhu, Abdul Torfi, Samantha Vawdrey and more appear in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court
These are the people putting your lives in danger with their risk taking on our roads, including one woman who thought she was doing the “right thing” driving through a red arrow.
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It’s been another busy week in court for those breaking the law on the roads and putting your safety at risk. Here is the latest.
Wade McConnell
A man caught driving while suspended and drink driving has given a heartfelt apology to the court, saying “it will never happen again”.
Wade McConnell pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol, careless driving and driving while suspended on June 19 in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard McConnell had collided with another car after exiting a car wash on Chesterville Rd in Moorabbin at 3.50pm on November 29 last year.
When police arrived he admitted to being involved in the collision and underwent a mandatory breath test, returning a reading of 0.191.
The court heard that when officers asked McConnell why he had been drink driving, he had been apologetic and remorseful immediately.
“I’m very sorry, I was having issues at home and just wanted to get out of the house,” he said.
McConnell received a 12-month licence suspension.
Officers caught McConnell driving again just over a week later on December 8 in Seaford.
Further investigation revealed McConnell was driving while suspended.
Appearing in court on Monday, McConnell apologised again for his actions.
“The drink driving was a one off incident, I was having issues at home,” he said.
“I had my car impounded and it was over $1000 to get it back. This has had a huge impact on me, I’ve not been able to see my children.
“I’m very sorry, this will never happen again.”
Magistrate David Starvaggi was clear that he had no control over the licence cancellation.
“I have to cancel your licence for 19 months, even if I backdate it to November,” he said.
Mr Starvaggi fined McConnell $800 with a conviction over the drink driving incident, and $400 with a conviction for driving while disqualified.
He cancelled McConnell’s licence for 19 months, backdated to November.
A Cheltenham plumber caught driving unlicensed has told a court he “had to drive his wife to a doctor’s appointment”.
Euan Abell pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on June 19 to unlicensed driving after being caught in September last year.
Officers performing highway patrol duties in Mentone were alerted to a van with a suspended owner travelling on Balcon Rd on September 6 via camera detection, before intercepting Abell at 3.33pm.
The court heard Abell couldn’t produce his licence during the stop, due to the suspension.
He had been suspended for a six-month period in March 2022 due to an over accumulation of demerit points.
Abell told the court on Tuesday that he had been taking his wife to a medical appointment when he was caught.
“My wife had a significant fall, and had three broken ribs, Your Honour,” he said.
“I was just taking her for an appointment at the GP.”
Magistrate David Starvaggi alluded to Abell’s prior history of driving unlicensed, saying they “could have called an ambulance”.
“You’ve been here previously for driving while suspended Mr Abell, not six weeks after your suspension date,” Mr Starvaggi said.
“I’m sorry to hear about your wife, but you need to get your priorities in order.”
Mr Starvaggi fined Abell $500 with a conviction, but did not interfere further with his licence.
A suspended P-plate driver has told a court he didn’t know he had been driving unlicensed.
Springvale man Yang Mao Zhu pleaded guilty to driving unlicensed and driving without a P-plate displayed in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on June 21.
Police saw Zhu driving in Cheltenham at 1.40am on January 19 without a front window P-plate.
When officers intercepted Zhu, he didn’t have his licence on him, however, provided his identification details.
Through further investigation, officers found Zhu’s licence to be disqualified for 11 months over a drink driving offence where he caused an accident.
When asked why he was driving unlicensed, Zhu claimed he didn’t know his licence status.
“Nobody told me, I didn’t even get a letter or anything,” he said.
“I haven’t been living at home, I moved into a friend’s house after the accident.”
The court heard during the drink driving incident, Zhu had been taken to The Alfred and later given an $800 fine by police.
Zhu told the court he had spiralled into a state of depression following the accident.
“I didn’t go out for ages, I only went for walks near my old high school,” he said.
“I didn’t talk to anyone for a while, because of the accident. It caused me mental illness and I couldn’t sleep.”
Magistrate David Starvaggi asked why Zhu hadn’t caught a taxi or an Uber on the night of his offending.
“I thought about taking an Uber, but my mum was in China so I didn’t have any money.”
Zhu told the court his mother, who lives in Melbourne and China, had been sending him money to live.
Mr Starvaggi took into account Zhu’s limited history when sentencing him.
“I’m going to impose a moderate fine,” he said.
“You’ve pleaded guilty on the first day available and you have a limited driving history.”
Zhu was fined $300 without conviction, and Mr Starvaggi didn’t suspend his licence further.
Natalie Zerafa
An executive assistant has told a court she was unaware that she was disqualified, because she hadn’t been to collect her mail.
Natalie Zerafa, 24, was caught driving unlicensed on Malvern Rd in Malvern in January.
The court heard she had lost her licence just five days earlier due to an accumulation of demerit points.
Police intercepted her at 9.30am in a white Toyota Yaris, where Zerafa could not produce a licence.
She gave her full details, and told officers she “didn’t know her licence was suspended”.
The Yaris was impounded for 30 days, costing a total of $896.10.
Zerafa told the court her mail was being delivered to her mother’s house — her listed address, but that she had not been home to collect her mail that week.
She told police she had received an infringement in November last year.
When asked why she was driving, Zerafa told officers she was driving to work.
“I’m on my way to work, like I am everyday,” she said.
“I had no idea I was suspended.”
In court on Tuesday, Zerafa told the court it was an honest mistake.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said she should have been checking her mail, particularly if she wasn’t going to tell VicRoads if her address had changed.
“This is an honest, but not a reasonable mistake,” he said.
“I’m taking into account your plea of guilty, but if you’re not telling VicRoads you’ve changed addresses, you need to be checking your mail.”
“I’m prepared to give you this opportunity to avoid a conviction.”
Mr Gattuso put Zerafa on a nine month adjourned undertaking, and ordered her to pay a $250 fine to the court fund.
Sheshan Wellalage
A Clayton man caught driving unlicensed has told a court he was on his way to get a haircut when he was intercepted.
Sheshan Wellalage was caught by police driving with an expired Sri Lankan licence in October last year.
The court heard Wellalage had been in Australia for eight years, and had been driving for the same amount of time.
Wellalage told police at the scene that he “knew he was unlicensed,” but that he was “just going to get a haircut.”
Pleading guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on June 19, Wellalage told the court he was working two jobs and long hours, and he hadn’t been able to renew his licence in office hours.
“I’m working two jobs, and normally from 7am until 8pm at night,” he said.
“I don’t have a licence at the moment so it’s hard to get to everything.”
Magistrate David Starvaggi was sympathetic to Wellalage, taking his situation into consideration.
“I won’t interfere with your licence today Mr Wellalage, just get it renewed,” he said.
Mr Starvaggi fined Wellalage $150 without conviction.
Samantha Vawdrey
A registered nurse from Highett has told a court she “thought she was going the right thing” when she went through a red arrow.
Samantha Vawdrey pleaded guilty to going through a red light in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on June 20, after a traffic camera caught her going through an intersection 0.9 seconds after the light had turned red.
The court heard Vawdrey had been travelling on the Nepean Highway on June 3 last year, when she turned on a red arrow and was captured by the red light camera.
In court on Tuesday, she said she wouldn’t have gone through the light if she knew it was red.
“Obviously I don’t want to cause trouble or waste anyone’s time, I really thought I was doing the right thing,” she said.
“I presumed I was already in the intersection when the light was yellow. I truly thought I was doing the right thing, but I’m here now to accept responsibility for my actions.”
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso took into account the very close timing of the light change.
“It was very close. I accept that, you’ve got no priors and you’ve pleaded guilty,” he said.
“I can take all of these things into account. I can reduce the fine from the $400 something you would normally pay.”
Mr Gattuso fined Vawdrey $150 without conviction, letting her go with a warning.
“You’ve got to approach those intersections with care,” he said.
Ahmad Ahmadi
A Springvale man already behind bars on other matters fronted court after being caught driving unlicensed and drugged-up
Ahmad Ahmadi appeared in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court via video link on Monday, pleading guilty to failing an oral fluid test, driving unlicensed and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Police saw Ahmadi driving an unregistered Mazda on Main St in Mordialloc in January, before they intercepted him.
Ahmadi told police he had previously had his licence suspended, but he had not reapplied to get it back.
After undergoing a mandatory oral fluid test, Ahmadi returned a positive result, showing he had a prescribed illicit drug in his system.
Magistrate David Starvaggi took Ahmadi’s imprisonment into account when sentencing him.
“I’m going to further disqualify your licence for 12 months on the oral fluid test charge,” he said.
“With consideration to the fact that you’re already in custody, I’m convicting and discharging you on the other matters.”
gemma.scerri@news.com.au
