Rude Kiwi who refused breath test berated for calling magistrate ‘bro’

A designated driver who ploughed through his neighbour’s fence in Hoppers Crossing then refused a breath test earned himself a stinging rebuke — and a harsher penalty — after he repeatedly called the magistrate ‘bro’.

Rex Morgan refused a breath test after smashing into his neighbour’s Hoppers Crossing fence. He repeatedly referred to the magistrate as “bro” at court this week, earning him a stinging rebuke.

A Kiwi who repeatedly referred to a magistrate as his “bro” during a heated courtroom exchange over refusing a breath test has been slapped with a harsh sentence.

Rex Morgan this week fronted Werribee Magistrates’ Court after he reversed 30m down the wrong side of the road and ploughed his car into his neighbour’s fence.

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The court heard police saw the Hoppers Crossing man veer on to the wrong side of the road at the intersection of Mossfiel Drive and Julier Crescent before he reversed up the wrong driveway, crashing through his neighbour’s gate just before.

A preliminary breath test at the scene was positive for alcohol and a check revealed Morgan was unlicensed.

When he was told he needed to accompany police to the station for a further breath test, Morgan responded: “nah, I’m good bro” and told the officers to “just charge me bro, I don’t care”.

Morgan told the court he had been at a mate’s 21st and had been designated driver for the night, only cracking open a can of booze in his driveway, moments before police approached him.

“I had a can of Jack Daniels right there and then but that’s all I had,” he said.

“I don’t even know why I’m here, bro.”

Fuming Magistrate Richard Pithouse called out the slack behaviour.

“Don’t call me bro,” he said.

“Drop the attitude, take your hands out of your pockets and start showing some respect to the court.

“I’ll tell you why you’re here — it’s because you were asked … to provide a breath sample, you refused to do so.

“The police, quite correctly, have charged you and you are at the court.

“They haven’t done anything wrong — you’re the one who’s done something wrong.”

Refusing a breath test carries a minimum two-year licence cancellation.

A fed-up Mr Pithouse convicted Morgan and fined him $1500.

His licence has also been cancelled for three years.