Mayor off road for three months

SOUTHERN Midlands Mayor Tony Bisdee has been officially disqualified from driving for the next three months after he chose not to apply for a restricted driver’s licence.

In the Magistrates Court in Hobart in July, Councillor Bisdee, 73, of Melton Mowbray, pleaded guilty to three counts of driving while his licence was suspended.

He was caught by police on three occasions last year for driving while his licence was suspended indefinitely because of money owed to the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service.

The mayor also pleaded guilty to one count of exceeding the speed limit, three counts of driving an unregistered vehicle and one count of using a vehicle with no premium cover.

Cr Bisdee told police when he was first pulled over on May 16 last year that he was aware the licence had been suspended, but said he had entered an arrangement with the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service.

On December 8, police pulled him over at Pontville doing 76km/h in a 60 zone while his licence was also still suspended.

Cr Bisdee was caught again 10 days later by police near Hobart.

Magistrate Chris Webster moved to suspend Cr Bisdee’s licence for three months, along with a $500 fine and three demerit points.

But this was put on hold until Cr Bisdee could apply for a restricted licence yesterday.

Cr Bisdee’s lawyer Steven Chopping told the Mercury that his client had decided not to make any such application.

“There are a number of reasons why, but he determined he would take the penalty in full and wouldn’t seek to have it alleviated by the grant of a restricted licence,” he said.

Cr Bisdee was contacted for comment.