Skye man Thomas Cope crashes car in Clematis, demands mum take him home
A “pissed off” Skye man who crashed his car after a sibling spat, demanded his mummy come to his rescue. And you won’t believe what the poor woman then had to do.
South East
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A “pissed off” unlicensed P-plater who pranged his car in the middle of the night on a wet hills road just left it there, wrecked, in the centre of the street.
But instead of calling the police or a towie the selfish son simply walked off and rang his mum to demand she come and collect him and drive him the 39km back to their Skye home.
When she had returned him to the safety of their house, he then sent her back to the crash scene.
There she stayed and had to direct traffic until the police came and organised the smashed car to be removed from the middle of the road.
Thomas Cope, now aged 23, pleaded guilty to a range of traffic offences and an unlawful assault charge at the online Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court heard he was 21 when he crashed in Clematis at around 4.50am on June 1, 2019, hitting a guard rail and rendering his car undriveable.
He had been driving that night because he was angry and “pissed off” with his brother and had jumped behind the wheel — even though he was suspended at the time — to let off steam.
After the smash he simply left the scene for others to deal with, telling police later he had “freaked out” because he knew he shouldn’t have been driving.
Cope also drove while his licence was cancelled in Highett and Hastings, and was nabbed speeding while iced-up in Hampton Park.
He had lost his licence because he failed to do a drug course that had been imposed from a previous ice-driving crime.
He also unlawfully assaulted his brother in a spat at their family home and failed to turn up for court dates.
His defence lawyer said during 2019 Cope had struggled with the grief of close friends who had died.
She said last year he started to deal with his drug demons, wasn’t using ice anymore and now had a part-time job.
Magistrate Vicky Prapas said he put other road users at risk.
“He lost control and just walked away, which is pretty bad,” Ms Prapas said.
“Parents had to come and help, they must have been beside themselves.”
She said Cope hadn’t offended for a while and hopefully had “turned his life around”.
“Because of your behaviours you have dug yourself into a hole,” she said.
“But you are making an effort to dig yourself out.
“This is an opportunity to continue on your path of rehabilitation.”
Cope was convicted and placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond with conditions he continue his drug treatment, do a road trauma course and complete a behaviour change program.
He was also disqualified from driving for another 18 months.
