Appeal denied for lead foot limo

A LEAD-footed limo driver facing his 13th speeding fine tried to fight the case in court twice — and lost.

Ian Norman Crossman was described by Cairns District Court Judge Tracy Fantin as a serial litigant.

“He has appeared on his own behalf in several appeals to this court and the Court of Appeal seeking to challenge speeding fines,” Judge Fantin said in a recent judgment.

The 68-year-old, who has been a professional driver for 14 years, racked up 12 speeding entries between 2003 and 2014 and received a demerit point warning letter in 2015.

Most recently he was clocked travelling at 73km/h in a 60km/h zone on Port Douglas Rd in October 2016 by a mobile radar device. Rather than copping the $206 fine and loss of three points on the chin, which is the standard penalty in Queensland for anyone caught travelling between 13km/h and 20km/h over the speed limit, Crossman decided to fight the matter in court.

He represented himself during a hearing in Mossman Magistrates Court and was found guilty. He was convicted and fined $600 plus $89 costs.

“The magistrate observed that he had elected to conduct a trial in circumstances that were ill-informed or ill-advised. I agree with that observation,” Judge Fantin said.

Not satisfied with the outcome Crossman appealed the conviction, but not the fine, in the District Court.

“He relies upon multiple grounds of appeal. None of them has any merit. The appeal should be dismissed,” Judge Fantin said.

Crossman’s arguments included that it had been “unfair” for the police officer to activate his body-worn camera and that the certificates for the mobile radar device had been “fraudulent” or inadmissable and that the magistrate exhibited bias in the proceedings.