Adam Kenshole: Disqualified dad nabbed with ice in his system during school run
A father's ice addiction has landed him in court after he repeatedly drove while disqualified, including an incident where he told police he was collecting his daughter from school.
An ice-addled dad who had been disqualified from driving got behind the wheel for a school run, a court has heard.
Adam Kenshole, 38, fronted the Geelong Magistrates Court last week, pleading guilty to drug-driving, driving while disqualified and failing to notify VicRoads of a change of address.
Magistrate John Lesser convicted Kenshole and placed the father-of-two on a 12-month community corrections order (CCO) including 100 hours of unpaid community work.
The court heard Kenshole was stripped of his licence for six months by the Geelong Magistrates Court in March this year for previously driving while disqualified.
Just before 3pm on May 15, police intercepted Kenshole on Boundary Rd after an automatic registration check flagged his car as belonging to a driver with a disqualified licence.
Police conducted an oral fluid test on Kenshole, which later confirmed the presence of ice.
During a field interview, Kenshole was asked why he was driving with ice in his system to which he replied: “I wasn’t”.
Asked why he was driving without a licence, he told the officers he was “picking up (his) daughter from school”.
On June 28 Kenshole, who is unemployed, was again nabbed driving, this time on Barwon Heads Rd.
On this occasion Kenshole told police he was “going to a friend’s house”.
On Thursday, his lawyer told the court her client “now understood” having a licence was “a privilege, not a right”.
She asked the court to fine Kenshole, noting jail was a sentence of “last resort”.
The court heard Kenshole had relevant priors in late 2023 and had previously been charged with driving with ice in his system on two occasions.
“My client instructs that during this time he was struggling mentally and using methylamphetamine as a coping mechanism,” his lawyer said.
The court heard he had briefly split from his long-term partner of 18 years at the time, among other issues, but his lawyer said he had not engaged in any counselling for his mental health.
She said he “only tends to use” when he is facing difficulties.
The lawyer said Kenshole had refrained from driving since being pulled over in June and had completed a drug-driving course.
Magistrate John Lesser ordered Kenshole be assessed for a community corrections order (CCO) but warned the father-of-two he would “end up in jail if you keep doing this”.
“The use of methylamphetamine and driving is a sometimes fatal combination,” Mr Lesser said.
Mr Lesser ordered Kenshole take part in treatment for his drug use as part of the order, telling the father he wanted to “cut this off at the knees”.
Kenshole also had his licence cancelled and was disqualified from driving for 15 months.
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Originally published as Adam Kenshole: Disqualified dad nabbed with ice in his system during school run
