Underbelly star Vince Colosimo given ‘mercy’ after raking up $61k in unpaid fines

A famous Australian actor has faced court, asking for mercy after being unable to pay $61,000 in fines racked up over eight years.

Actor Vince Colosimo has been granted “mercy” by a Victorian court after sheriffs initiated legal action to try and recover more than $61,000 in unpaid fines.

The Underbelly star, 56, appeared by video link in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday from his lawyer’s office.

Mr Colosimo, who also goes by Vincenzo Colosimo, wore a black suit as he sat alongside Legal Aid chief counsel Julia Munster.

The court was told Mr Colosimo was served with a Fines Victoria warrant on January 19, relating to 169 fines, some dating back to 2013.

Most fines related to unpaid tolls and speeding tickets, but also included failing to vote in council elections and failing to obey traffic lights.

The court was told the Australian star’s work situation was now ‘precarious’ after a decade-long battle with mental health. Picture: Supplied.

On behalf of Mr Colosimo, Ms Munster filed an application to discharge the fines either fully or partially, with any remainder converted to community work.

She told the court the fines were originally less than $30,000 but had ballooned out after fees were added for non-payment.

“He has no assets, no capacity to meet the financial commitments,” she said.

“Mr Colosimo is living a meagre lifestyle with very limited financial capacity to meet his current obligations let alone anything else.

“His work situation remains precarious.”

The court was told Mr Colosimo has faced significant mental health difficulties over the past decade, with a psychologist finding this had a “causal link” to the fines.

The psychologist’s report noted he had suffered from a now in-remission stimulant use disorder, ADHD, major depressive disorder and PTSD for more than a decade.

His mental health problems had led the actor to self-medicate with illicit drugs and culminated with impulsive behaviour and becoming “overwhelmed” by the fines.

He was served with a seven-day notice to pay $61,858.60 in fines in January. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Muster said Mr Colosimo had begun volunteering his time with an anti-bullying foundation, called Bully Zero Australia, and was taking “substantial steps” to address his difficulties.

Paul Ellis, representing both the sheriff and director of fines in court, said the prosecution would not dispute the findings of the psychologist.

Under Victoria’s Fines Reform Act, a magistrate may throw out unpaid fines for a number of reasons, including if they are satisfied the person has a mental or intellectual impairment or falls into special circumstances.

Magistrate Guillaume Bailin found Mr Colosimo’s mental difficulties had reduced his capacity to understand the “infringement conduct”.

Mr Colosimo was facing possible jail time over the unpaid fines, however, Mr Bailin found this would be burdensome and deleterious to his efforts to improve himself.

He found it was appropriate to exercise the court’s judicial discretion and discharged $58,000 of the fines, noting Mr Colosimo’s “precarious financial situation”.

The $3866 remaining was converted to unpaid community work totalling 101 hours to be completed over the next 12 months.

Mr Bailin said it was a significant step for Mr Colosimo to put his “entire personal circumstances” before the court and community to ask for mercy.