Police pinch permitless picker

A FRUIT picker with a “terrible” traffic history and more than $7000 in unpaid fines has fronted the Maryborough Magistrates Court to plead guilty to his third disqualified-driving charge in five years.

Police prosecutor Michael Quirk told the court Ricky Dwayne Lee was riding a small unregistered motorbike along Old Coach Rd, Biggenden, on June 4 when he was intercepted by police. Not only was he not wearing a helmet, but the 24-year-old was also riding without a licence.

Defence lawyer Travis George told the court Lee had just bought the bike and was on his way to a nearby paddock to take it for a test drive.

But Magistrate John Smith was more interested in why Lee had bought the bike instead of paying some of his $7000 State Penalty Enforcement Registry debts. He'd made no payment since 2007.

The court heard Lee, a fruit-picker at Gayndah, had a “terrible” traffic history with entries of dangerous driving, unlicensed driving and several of disqualified driving.

Due to his large amount of unpaid fines and persistent offending, Mr Smith found a fine “out of the question”.

Lee was given a six-month suspended sentence and disqualified from holding a licence for three years.