Unlicensed driver cops fine

WOMAN WAS CAUGHT SIX WEEKS AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL ON CHARGES INCLUDING DRIVING WITHOUT LICENCE

A woman who was caught driving unlicensed and in an unregistered car only six weeks after she had been released from jail on charges that included unlicensed driving, has been fined $750.

Jade Kirkpatrick, 29, of Kyabram, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to drug possession, driving without a licence, driving an unregistered vehicle and breaching a community corrections order.

Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Kim Thomson told the court police spotted Kirkpatrick driving down the laneway next to Stray Leaves Caravan Park in Shepparton without her lights on at 1.20 am on Australia Day.

Her driver’s licence had been suspended for drug matters, the vehicle’s registration ran out a little more than a month earlier and there was 0.59 grams of methamphetamines in a ziplock bag in her handbag.

She was also on a community corrections order at the time. Kirkpatrick’s solicitor Ian Michaelson told the court his client had been released from custody on December 14 last year and had stored her belongings at the caravan park after she had lost her Shepparton house while in jail.

Now living at Kyabram, she was at the caravan park because she had items stored there. Mr Michaelson also said his client was doing ‘‘reasonably well’’ on the corrections order, compared to previous ones she had been on.

Magistrate Peter Mithen said Kirkpatrick had been ‘‘thumbing her nose’’ with the unlicensed driving as she had only been recently released from prison on matters that included unlicensed driving.

‘‘If you’re going to keep f louting the driving laws you’ll come unstuck,’’ Mr Mithen said.

He fined her $750 on the police matters, but did not disqualify her licence any further.

He also found the community corrections breach proven, but continued the order.