Timothy Cheung pleads guilty to driving with meth in his system and more at Moorabbin Court
A Chelsea groundskeeper has racked up a shocking drug and driving record — and a magistrate had one final warning for him.
South East
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A part-time groundskeeper caught driving with meth in his system has been slapped with stash of driving and drug offences has avoided jail
Chelsea’s Timothy Cheung pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on June 19 over multiple charges of drug driving, driving unlicensed, driving without wearing a seatbelt and careless driving.
The court heard Cheung was first caught driving with meth in his system in July 2021, after police saw him driving in Chelsea Heights.
A police scanner alerted the officers that the driver of a white Toyota sedan had an issue with their licence, leading them to pull Cheung over.
He produced his licence and further investigation revealed that Cheung had been suspended due to having too many demerit points.
Police discovered his licence had been suspended in December 2020, before requiring Cheung to undergo both a breath-test and an oral fluid test.
The result of the oral fluid test showed Cheung had an illicit substance in his system, which later was found to be meth.
Cheung told police at the time he was “unaware that his licence was suspended”.
The second occasion Cheung was caught drug driving was in October last year.
Cheung was travelling on Clayton Rd at 6am on October 22, before he collided with a light pole at a Heatherton Rd intersection.
Police were called to the scene after witnesses rang Triple 0, where they conducted a breath test and another oral fluid test on Cheung.
The breath test returned a negative result, while the oral fluid test came back positive, with further investigations showing he was once again driving with meth in his system.
Officers discovered Cheung also was driving on a disqualified licence.
Cheung admitted to police at the scene he had a prior for drug driving with methamphetamines.
The third time Cheung was caught drug driving was in April this year.
Police saw Cheung travelling on the Nepean Hwy in Mentone without a seatbelt on.
They intercepted him, and again, police found he was driving while disqualified, requiring him to once again undergo both a breath test and an oral fluid test.
The oral fluid test again returned a positive result for methamphetamines.
Appearing in court on Monday, Cheung pleaded guilty to all charges.
Magistrate David Starvaggi said he “would like to consider incarceration, but these were only fineable offences”.
“It’s fineable only, and would come with a corrections order if he contested them,” he said.
Cheung’s lawyer, Alexandra Murrell pleaded his case, saying he had suffered from depression causing an escalation in his drug use.
“Mr Cheung suffers from depression, which was triggered two years ago when he lost custody of his children” she said.
“He only has contact with his children once a month, but he has a strong employment history and has been engaging with a drug and alcohol rehabilitation service.”
Ms Murrell said Cheung was “remorseful for his offending,” and he “was doing much better”.
Mr Starvaggi warned Cheung to stop drug driving.
“The reality is, even with a disqualified licence, you can go to jail,” he said.
“I’m taking into account your early plea of guilty and assuming because of this you’re remorseful.”
Mr Starvaggi fined Cheung $2500 with conviction and a further one year licence disqualification.
“This is a huge line in the sand for you,” Mr Starvaggi said.
“If you come back to court for driving disqualified or under the influence of drugs, you will almost certainly go to jail.”
gemma.scerri@news.com.au
