New Zealand number plates gave Toowoomba driver away

Driving around in an unregistered, uninsured car with New Zealand plates while disqualified ended in huge fines for a Toowoomba man.

The teenager had been driving around Toowoomba with New Zealand number plates attached to his car.

IF A MOTORIST is going to drive around Toowoomba with New Zealand issued number plates attached to his car it’s a good chance he’s going to eventually be pulled over by police.

And that’s exactly what happened to teenager Lachlan Curtis who was spotted by a police patrol driving on West St about 2.30pm, September 22, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told.

Police spoke to the 19-year-old at his Wilsonton home a few days later and he had admitted to driving fully aware he had been disqualified by the court, that he had false number plates and that his car was unregistered and uninsured, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court.

Checks of his driving record found Curtis’s licence had been disqualified by the court for two years on August 11, Sgt Bugden said.

The teenager pleaded guilty to all charges.

His solicitor Phil Stainton said his client had just started an apprenticeship as a barber and that he had turned his life around to a large extent having suffered a number of issues in the past.

Magistrate Howard Osborne disqualified Curtis from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for two years on the disqualified driving offence for which he was fined $750.

For driving an unregistered vehicle the teen was fined a further $320, and a further $530 for driving an uninsured vehicle, and for attaching false plates he was fined $200.