Matthew Paul Voss faces Stanthorpe Magistrates Court for driving offences

A Stanthorpe driver who sped through a stop sign while driving unlicensed has been described as ‘very stupid and selfish’ by a magistrate.

A Stanthorpe driver who sped through a stop sign while driving unlicensed has been slammed by a magistrate after he was busted by police.

Matthew Paul Voss pleaded guilty in Stanthorpe Magistrates Court on Wednesday to failing to stop at a stop sign and driving with a disqualified licence.

The court was told the driver had his provisional licence suspended for six months in February, mere weeks before a second incident which led to his court date.

On March 11, the 20-year-old was driving along Corundum St before he noticed police performing a licence check.

The court was told Voss then sped up “at high speed” and went through a stop sign at the intersection of Marsh St.

Police later caught up with Voss at his home where he made full admissions to what had happened.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess was quick to slam Voss, saying his actions were “dangerous”.

“It’s an extremely stupid, and in some respects dangerous, thing to do and for a 20-year-old P2 licence holder, you have gathered quite a concerning history in a short amount of time,” she said.

Ms Sturgess said Voss was the only member of his family able to drive and that his actions behind the wheel had made the life of his family “considerably more difficult”.

“You’ve been very stupid and selfish quite frankly by failing to respect the privilege of a driver’s licence,” she said.

“We’re getting to the point where you’re disqualified driving, you’re going to be no use to your family or employer if you’re in prison because you won’t stop driving.

“Don’t think you can play the odds, you will get caught, and the consequences will be more and more severe.”

Voss was fined $750 for the disqualified driving and $413 for running the stop sign. He was disqualified from driving for two years.

Originally published as Matthew Paul Voss faces Stanthorpe Magistrates Court for driving offences