A 20-YEAR-OLD man was caught twice by police in three weeks driving with a suspended licence and with false number plates, Ballarat Magistrates Court heard yesterday.
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Benjamin Foy of Soldier’s Hill received a $750 fine after pleading guilty to two counts each of driving while suspended, driving an unregistered vehicle and using wrong number plates.
Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Adam McCormack said Foy was seen by police driving a white Commodore along Dowling Street, Wendouree, on November 26 last year.
When they checked his licence, they found it was suspended from November 9 due to a loss of demerit points.
Senior Sergeant McCormack said Foy told police his mother had told him about a VicRoads demerit points letter that had arrived at her house but he did not know his licence was suspended.
He also said he was driving a friend’s car and didn’t know the plates were false.
Foy was then seen by the same police crew driving a white Commodore in Marie Crescent, Wendouree, on December 10, who recognised him from the previous incident.
Senior Sergeant McCormack said Foy’s excuse for driving again was to get some food.
Defence counsel Paul Houston said Foy had foolishly driven his girlfriend to do some shopping.
He said Foy had since sold his car and still had until May to get his licence back.
Magistrate Peter Couzens said it was very disappointing to see Foy before the court with a set of charges mirroring the first set, about three weeks apart.
“One would hope you wouldn’t take the risk again,” Mr Couzens said.