Named: Drink or drug drivers to be sentenced in Stanthorpe Magistrates Court

A number of people have faced court, charged with drink driving or driving while drugs were present in their system. See the most recent list of Stanthorpe drug or drink drive offenders to face court here.

A number of traffic offenders have had their matters heard before Stanthorpe Magistrates Court this year.

Below is a list of the recent Stanthorpe drink or drug drive offenders who have pleaded guilty before the court and had their licence suspended.

DRUG DRIVE OFFENDERS

• Matthew Mark Rouen fronted Stanthorpe Magistrates Court in August, pleading guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in his saliva on April 21.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Grafton told the court Rouen was intercepted during a random roadside test and returned a positive result to methamphetamine.

Rouen told the court he has since engaged with Drug Awareness Rehabilitation and Management and was taking steps towards rehabilitation.

The court was told Rouen had been charged with two previous drug drive offences within the past five years, which magistrate Virginia Sturgess advised would have an impact on the disqualification period handed down to him on this occasion.

“You’ve been in this predicament before,” she said.

“You might not be caught with the drug, but if the drugs you’re taking are present in your saliva while you’re driving, you’ll be punishing yourself in another way which is by continually losing your licence.

“It’s going to be difficult to be a fencing contractor if you can’t drive of course, and it’s difficult living in Stanthorpe without a licence, there’s not exactly a public transport system.”

Rouen was fined $750 and given a licence disqualification period of six months.

Convictions were recorded.

Stanthorpe Magistrates Court has seen a series of drink and drug related offences.

• Ricky Lee Look, 22, fronted Stanthorpe Magistrates Court in September and pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant substance was present in his saliva while on a provisional licence.

The court was told Look was found by police in his vehicle on the side of the road on July 9.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess warned Look of the consequences of using illicit drugs, given the long period of time cannabis and other substances can stay present in your system.

“It doesn’t matter how it gets into your system, if it’s present in your saliva when you drive you commit an offence,” she said.

Look was fined $150 and given a licence suspension of three months.

No convictions were recorded.

• Christopher Lee Flanagan faced Stanthorpe Magistrates Court in September where he pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in his saliva on December 5, 2022.

The court was told Flanagan was intercepted outside Amamoor, near Gympie and tested positive to cannabis at a roadside drug test.

Flanagan had no previous drug driving offences, which magistrate Virginia Sturgess took into consideration when handing down his sentence.

“For first offenders like yourself Mr Flanagan, I’m generally pretty lenient because I think many people aren’t aware of just how long drugs can stay in your system, particularly cannabis,” she said.

“It is an offence to have the drug present in your blood or saliva, so it’s a very easy offence for people to commit, unfortunately.”

Mr Flanagan was fined $150 and given the minimum licence suspension period of one month.

No convictions were recorded.

DRINK DRIVE OFFENDERS

• Karl Phillip Sullivan, 63, fronted Stanthorpe Magistrates Court this month pleading guilty to low-range drink driving, with a reading of 0.093 BAC.

The court was told on July 9, Sullivan had been out the previous night drinking at a friend's property, where he stayed overnight.

Defence solicitor Michael Catanzaro told the court his client left the Wallangarra address at around 9am the following morning, thinking he would be under the limit.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess said given Sullivan held an interstate licence, he was unable to apply for a work licence and warned him to be more cautious when getting behind the wheel after a big night.

“People make mistakes, but you need to be more careful as you can’t afford to make these kinds of mistakes as a truck driver,” she said.

Mr Sullivan was fined $300 and given a two month licence suspension.

No convictions were recorded.

• Romeo Antonio Salazar Canjura fronted Stanthorpe Magistrates Court this month pleading guilty to low range drink driving on July 28.

The court was told Mr Canjura blew just over the legal limit with a reading of 0.056 BAC and had no history of offending.

Mr Canjura made an application for a work licence due to his position as an irrigation manager on a nearby farm.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess granted Mr Canjura a restricted work licence and acknowledged his early plea of guilty and affidavit as a sign of remorse.

“I don’t think I can tell you anything you haven't already told yourself in terms of properly calculating your drinks and leaving enough time for the alcohol to leave your system before you drive,” she said.

Mr Canjura was fined $300 and given a two month licence suspension.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Named: Drink or drug drivers to be sentenced in Stanthorpe Magistrates Court