A delivery driver has been punished by mandatory provisions under the Road Safety Act, losing his license for 12 months and having his car impounded a second time.
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Mark Peddleson, 52, pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to speeding, drug driving and driving while suspended three times.
His vehicle was impounded and he collected it for the cost of $1300.
Defence lawyer Jon Irwin said Peddleson needed his licence to continue his employment as a delivery driver.
He said Peddleson worked part-time and also cared for his elderly parents who he lived with.
The court heard Peddleson said he was not aware his licence had been cancelled the first time he was caught, but risked driving the second time to keep his employment.
Mr Irwin said Peddleson admitted to using a 'a bit of meth' during that period of time but he 'did not touch it anymore'.
He said Peddlseon had a long history of driving, including working as a delivery driver for 12 years and had not had a traffic offence prior to 2019.
Magistrate Letizia Torres said the Road Safety Act meant Peddleson would be disqualified from driving for the mandatory minimum period of 12 months because it was his second drug driving offence.
He was convicted and fined $500 and his car will be impounded a second time, incurring another $1300 release fee, a punishment that is mandated by law.
"Given your age and absence of any relevant priors until July 2019 I can only assume you have been making these poor decisions because of drug use," Ms Torres said.
"Over a short period of time you have committed a number of offences and it has put you in a difficult situation not to be able to work as a driver."
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