Defendant thanked magistrate before copping fine
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In an odd turn of events, a defendant appearing in Biloela Magistrates Court thanked the Magistrate before receiving his punishment.
Austin Wayne Potgieter pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of drug-driving.
The court heard police were conducting static roadside breath and drug testing on Old Maryborough Rd, Gayndah, at 3.15pm on July 23 last year.
The officers stopped Potgieter, driving a black Ford sedan, and he submitted to a saliva test which returned a positive reading.
When police questioned Potgieter, a P-plater at the time, about any recent drug use he made full admissions to smoking cannabis a day earlier.
When Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale asked the defendant whether he had anything to submit on penalty, Potgieter thanked her.
“No, I just appreciate your co-operation throughout this situation,” he said.
Ms Beckinsale took into account Potgieter’s early plea and one-page history of irrelevant offending when handing down sentence.
She fined him $350 and disqualified him from driving for three months.
