Coronavirus: $1600 fine withdrawn for L-plater charged for breaching lockdown

Police have taken a U-turn on a $1652 social distancing fine issued to a 17-year-old taking a driving lesson with her mum.

L-plate driver Hunter Reynolds, 17, with mum Sheree, was fined $1652 for breaching non-essential travel restrictions. Picture: Tony Gough

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton says police will withdraw the $1652 on-the-spot social distancing fine they issued to a 17-year-old learner driver over the weekend.

Hunter Reynolds was driving with her mother Sharee Reynolds from their home in the bayside Melbourne suburb of Hampton to Frankston when she was pulled over by police and issued with the fine.

Mr Patton on Monday said police were satisfied the fine had been “legally issued”, but that it would be reviewed to see if police discretion should be used.

On Tuesday morning he told Melbourne radio station 3AW: “We are going to be withdrawing that infringement this morning.”

Sharee Reynolds had called the radio station on Monday to say they would be challenging the fine.

“I don’t feel that it was the right decision by the police person,” Sharee told 3AW.

“If they felt that it was wrong a warning would have sufficed for that particular incident, and giving the fine to a 17-year-old was really quite ridiculous.”

Sharee said the officer told them they were too far from home. The drive from Hampton to Frankston is around 36 minutes.

The Assistant police commissioner Shane Patton says while the fine was legal, it will still be reviewed for Hunter, right, with her mother, Sharee. Picture: Tony Gough

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Monday defended the fine, saying driving lessons were not an essential activity.

“I think we’re all putting off those things that we would like to do, that we might prefer to do in ordinary circumstances, but this is not the world we live in at the moment,” Professor Sutton said.

Driving instructors are still permitted to operate their businesses under Victoria’s Stage Three social distancing laws.

On Monday, Mr Paton said the fine was “a lawfully issued infringement”.