David Coulthard pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving at the Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday.
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The namesake of the former Formula 1 Grand Prix champion was fined $1250 for the offences committed on August 24 this year.
The court heard that police caught Coulthard, 33, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer in Sebastopol just after 2.40am.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Pepe Brown said Coulthard was observed “weaving” across the road and was intercepted.
He was given a preliminary breath test, which indicated the presence of alcohol, then agreed to accompany police for a follow-up evidentiary breath test.
Senior Constable Brown said that once Coulthard was informed he was not legally bound to remain at the police station, he insisted on leaving, refusing to complete the breath test.
He said when Coulthard was asked his reasons for the offence, he told police “you don’t understand, I’m a child in a man’s body”.
Defence lawyer Hamish Locke said his client caused no interference with other road users and “panicked” once he arrived at the police station.
Magistrate Peter Couzens said it was Coulthard’s third drink-driving related offence.
“It’s by no mean a good record,” he said. In addition to the fine, Coulthard was disqualified from driving for four years.