Reece Kington: Cranbourne dad in court over Monash Freeway smash, ice ride

A serious smash on the Monash wasn’t enough to deter this careless Cranbourne hoon who instead carried on the madness.

Reece Kington

A careless Cranbourne driver has fronted court over a series of death-defying stunts across Melbourne’s southeast.

Reece Kington, 26, pleaded guilty in the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, on the shocking incidents including one where he drove at 170km/h while being pursued by police.

The court heard the concreter was first pinged in June 2019 after causing a smash on the Monash Freeway near Noble Park because he “had to get to work”.

Kington lost control after he darted and sped through slow traffic on his motorbike about 6.35am.

He slammed into another motorbike then a Hyundai sedan, the court heard.

“The force of the collision caused the (motorbike victim) to tip over and slide along the road,” the prosecution said.

The court heard ambulance crews arrived on scene but no one was injured.

Kington — whose licence was cancelled for failing to complete a drug behaviour change program — told police he’d slept in and “had to get to work.”

But that close call wasn’t enough to pull Kington into line, with the father of two caught riding his motorbike while high on ice at Clyde in August last year.

“I have no reason (for driving) … just stupidity,” he told police.

The court heard almost two months later, Kington was spotted speeding at 170km/h along Westernport Highway, near Thompsons Rd, at Lyndhurst.

The prosecution told the court Kington could “barely control his vehicle”, running red lights and stop signs before pulling over and trying to run away near Camms Rd.

Kington tried to run for it but officers were too quick, making an arrest and uncovering a large hunting knife in the car’s passenger door.

The court heard Kington also used stolen credit cards to buy hundreds of dollars’ worth of cigarettes from local petrol stations in March last year.

Kington’s lawyer Raj Bhattacharya said his client had fallen into destructive drug habits after his relationship with his girlfriend and children broke down following the Monash Freeway accident.

“The ice took over, he was making a number of stupid decisions and associating with the wrong people,” Mr Bhattacharya said.

The court heard Kington had since started to “patch things up” with his former girlfriend, was seeing his children fortnightly and had concreting work.

Kington, who is on bail, has no criminal history and was kept in custody for 18 days following his crimes, the court heard.

“He’s demonstrated he can stay out of trouble with the appropriate support,” Mr Bhattacharya said.

Magistrate Suzette Dootjes said Kington’s crimes could warrant more time in custody.

“The offending is very serious, particularly the driving that put the community at extreme risk,” she said.

Kington pleaded guilty to charges including drive dangerous while being pursued by police.

He will be assessed for a corrections order before he returns for sentence on May 31.