Riverview man Keiren Bell uses dead father’s identity in ploy to avoid speeding fine

A convicted drug trafficker’s deplorable ploy to wriggle out of a speeding fine has been heard in court after he was busted in a fraudulent scheme involving his dead father.

A Riverview man’s deplorable ploy to wriggle himself out of a speeding fine has been heard in court after he was busted in a fraudulent scheme involving his dead father.

Keiren Bell, 28, faced Ipswich court after he blamed his dead father for a speeding fine he Bell himself had copped.

Ipswich Magistrates Court heard that on October 29 2021, a speed camera detected Bell’s car travelling at 101km/hr on Logan Rivers Road, Eden’s Landing.

A fine was soon after issued to Bell who, on November 22, used his father’s license to log onto his account on the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR), and submitted an online form stating that his father had committed the offence.

When DTMR went to process this nomination, they found they couldn’t add to Bell’s father’s traffic history as he had passed away in July 2021.

Bell was also found to be driving under the influence of methamphetamine on Paradise Road, Slacks Creek, on November 13 2021.

On June 17 2021, Bell pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and one count of driving under the influence of drugs in Ipswich court.

Keiren Bell leaving the Ipswich courthouse on June 17, 2022.

The court heard that both of these offences were committed while Bell was on parole for trafficking dangerous drugs; he was given a suspended sentence of three years imprisonment for the matter in Mackay court in 2019 and his parole was set to expire on September 9 2022.

Bell has some relevant criminal history and a significant traffic history, but his lawyer Mr Strong said he has effectively been “squeaky clean” during the rest of his parole.

Senior Constable Nick Turnbull said that although Bell had no criminal charges during his parole, his traffic history in the last few years was “unenviable”.

Mr Strong said “excluding these matters, his life has been extremely positive.”

He explained that Bell has a stable relationship with his current partner, who he has two young children with – and a third on the way.

“He should be given credit for how much time he’s actually spent away from trouble.”

In relation to the fraud, Mr Strong emphasised that by using a deceased identity, Bell didn’t cause any financial damage to his victim.

“He used his deceased father. It wasn’t the case that he used a stranger or a random person that the moment could have actually come out of their pocket. It doesn’t excuse the behaviour.”

Judge Andrew Crinland interjected: “I was going to say, does that make it better or worse?”

“The fact that that person was deceased does not alter the fact that this is an intended deception – the intention of course, being to deceive the traffic ticket office.”

Judge Crinland addressed Bell: “You do not have a good traffic history, it could have impacted on your ability to maintain a licence … There were a number of things that you stood to gain by such action.”

For the fraud charge, he sentenced Bell to six months imprisonment – suspended for 18 months.

“What is important is the need to deter, not only yourself, but also others from committing this kind of behaviour,” he said.

For the drug driving charge, Bell was fined $500 and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for one month.

Originally published as Riverview man Keiren Bell uses dead father’s identity in ploy to avoid speeding fine