Revealed: Full list of Toowoomba drink or drug drivers to front court

Two painters, a wedding guest and a hoon walk into a bar, drive home and get caught. Here’s a list of people who lost their licence in Toowoomba court this week after facing court for drink or drug driving offences.

Drink or drug drivers have been busted and sentenced in Toowoomba Magistrates Court. Picture: Evan Morgan

Multiple Toowoomba drivers are off the road after pleading guilty before Toowoomba Magistrates Court last week to a drink or drug driving charge.

While many others drug or drink driving cases remain pending, here is a list of those sentenced this week:

CONVICTION RECORDED

Double trouble

On May 27, a Toowoomba painter was caught drug driving, only to be caught again two weeks later.

Brendan Ross Asmussen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two counts of drug driving and one count each of driving without a licence and driving an unregistered vehicle.

The court was told that on two occasions the painter returned a positive reading for meth when pulled over by police.

Police also discovered Asmussen was driving with a disqualified licence, while his registration had expired 15 days before the first roadside interception.

Solicitor Brad Skuse said Mr Asmussen recently split from his wife and moved away from the home, causing him to self medicate with the illegal substance.

“He’s remained abstinent for some 30 days,” Mr Skuse said.

“His mail was still going to (the marital address), he did not receive the notices regarding the accumulation of the demerit points.

“He accepts by way of plea that he is the person required to make those inquiries and ensure he complies.”

He was convicted and fined $900 and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Convictions were recorded.

Repeat offender

Another Toowoomba painter was taken off the roads after he was caught driving with THC in his system on August 29.

Steven Alan Young returned a positive roadside drug test for cannabis after police pulled him over.

The court was told he was previously charged with drug driving in 2022, 2019 and 2018.

Young pleaded guilty to driving with drugs in his system at Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Tuesday October 8, and was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for six months.

“The reason it’s six (months) is because you have two previous convictions in the last five years,” magistrate Mark Howden said.

Convictions were recorded.

‘No explanation’

Only two days after getting his licence back, Toby Tyrone Higgins was caught driving under the influence of drugs.

“I’ve got no explanation for it, I drove with drugs in my system,” Higgins told the court.

Higgins fronted Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Tuesday October 8 and pleaded guilty to drug driving while on a probationary licence.

He was intercepted by police on August 29 and returned a positive roadside reading for cannabis and meth.

“I’ve got nothing to say for myself,” he said.

“I only just got my licence back, two days before that.

“I apologise to the police.”

Magistrate Mark Howden warned Mr Higgins to change his ways, given his history with drug driving.

“You need to be very careful because I’m just counting these drug driving charges,” he said.

“If you come back again the consequences are going to be very severe.”

Mr Higgins was fined $400 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Convictions were recorded.

Medicinal mishap

Nathaniel Shayne Griffin was driving to work when he tested positive for having THC in his saliva.

Griffin pleaded guilty to drug driving while on a probationary licence for a previous drug driving offence in January of this year.

The driver said he held a medicinal cannabis prescription but accepted he was not in a state to drive.

“I know it holds no weight but I do hold a medicinal card,” he said.

“I hadn’t smoked that day … I had smoked the previous night.”

Magistrate Mark Howden said the mistake was not uncommon in today’s courtroom.

“You’re like many people who come before the court at the moment who are on medicinal cannabis but they don’t wait long enough,” he said.

“You just have to be very careful.”

Mr Griffin was disqualified for three months and fined $300.

Convictions were recorded.

A number of people have fronted Toowoomba Magistrates Court for drink or drug driving offences. Picture: File

NO CONVICTION RECORDED

Fast and the furiously foolish

An 18-year-old hoon has had a rude wake up call, fronting court for the first time after police witnessed his reckless driving first hand.

Soren Matthew King pleaded guilty before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday October 9 to drug driving while the holder of a provisional licence and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said police intercepted the young driver about 1.30am on July 28 after watching him fishtail in his vehicle for about 350m before reaching the end of a cul-de-sac and performing two doughnuts.

She noted the roads were slippery due to recent rain and King was driving with a juvenile passenger who was not wearing a seatbelt.

“When questioned by police about his driving manner, the defendant just stared at police with a blank look on his face,” Ms Page told the court.

King was then submitted to a drug and alcohol test which returned a positive reading for derivatives of cannabis and cocaine.

His solicitor Claire Graham said King had paid dearly for his actions.

“He acknowledges the absolute stupidity of his action,” Ms Graham said.

“He’s already had considerable consequences by way of receiving infringements on the night totally $1692 … (the car) was impounded for 90 days and there will be a payment due.”

Mr King came before the court as an 18-year-old with no criminal history and a very limited traffic history.

“This has probably been a big wake up call and I hope it has been,” magistrate Mark Howden said.

“I hope this is just something that happened and we will never see you again in this court.”

King was fined $750 and disqualified for six months for the dangerous operation charge and three months for the drug driving charge.

No convictions were recorded.

Wedding faux pas

In a cautionary tale, Delanie Ella Holmes, was caught over the limit more than six hours after her last drink.

Holmes thought it was safe to drive home the morning after celebrating a friend’s wedding when she was pulled over by police.

Despite a more than six hour rest since her last drink, she returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.086.

She pleaded guilty to drug driving in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Tuesday, October 8.

Her solicitor Joe McConnell said Holmes took the charge seriously, having completed road safety courses following her arrest.

“She wasn’t pulled over for any manner of driving or anything of that nature that aggravates the sentence,” he said.

“Obviously she was over the limit, she had genuine belief she thought she would be all right to drive, she accepts (she wasn’t).”

She was granted a restricted licence for work but convicted and fined $400.

No conviction was recorded.