Warrant cancelled: Unpaid debt, crash lands Kaitlyn Blake in Toowoomba court
An unfortunate series of events led to a young mother fronting Toowoomba court for the first time.
Police & Courts
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When a young mother was involved in a crash while driving unlicensed she told police she had no idea it had been suspended because she often did not open her mail or read messages.
At the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday, October 16, Kaitlyn Angela Blake pleaded guilty to driving without a licence after it was suspended by the State Penalties Enforcement Registry.
Magistrate Kyna Morice recalled and cancelled a warrant that had been filed after Blake failed to appear when her charges were last mentioned before the court.
The court heard Blake had no criminal history however she did have a traffic history which was under her maiden name Hearn.
Police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb said at 5pm on August 15, Mrs Blake was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Healy Street in Toowoomba.
“Police attended the crash and identified that (her) licence was subject to a SPER suspension from the 14th of August,” he said.
“She was aware she owed money to SPER and thought that she had been making payments.”
Mr Brewster-Webb said when officers asked Blake if she had received a suspension notification she said she often did not open mail or “read messages sent to her”.
Blake said it would be difficult for her to work and care for her two young children without her licence, however she accepted she would be penalised.
She said at the time of the accident she was not aware her licence was cancelled a day prior.
“(After) I jumped online and fixed my SPER up,” she said.
“It’s just one of those things that I just kept forgetting to get to.”
Magistrate Morice said things would be difficult for the young mother for a while given her husband worked away.
Blake’s licence was disqualified for one month and she was fined $200.
No convictions were recorded.
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