It was a busy day of driving offences in Eden Court on Wednesday, with 11 separate matters being heard.
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Chief among them was a 19-year-old Eden man charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. On October 9, he entered a plea of not guilty with Magistrate Doug Dick adjourning the matter to December 4 with briefs to be served by mid-November.
Meanwhile, 41-year-old Eden woman Miya Harrison was given a stern talking to by Magistrate Dick for her high-range drink driving.
He outlined the "really serious" incident happened in April.
"The three-car collision was as a result of what you did - you're very lucky no-one was injured," Magistrate Dick said.
He said the court was also concerned there was a previous driving offence on her record from last November.
Harrison was sentenced to 100 hours community service and fined $1000. She was also to undergo safer driving programs and drug and alcohol counselling if directed by Community Corrections. Her licence was confiscated for six months, backdated to July, and an interlock device was also to be installed on her vehicle for a period of two years
Two other local men were ordered to have Interlock devices installed after they both pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving offences.
Fifty-year-old Eden man Peter Grubesic and 29-year-old David Knights from Lochiel were both assessed for community service suitability as it was their first offence in both cases.
Mr Knights actually requested additional community service hours in lieu of higher fines.
Magistrate Dick felt that a reasonable request, imposing a fine of $500 and a six-month loss of licence, and sentencing Mr Knights to 150 hours of community service, with drug and alcohol counselling as directed.
"Your referees think highly of you. You've disappointed them and certainly don't want to do that again," he said.
It was the reverse for Mr Grubesic, whose work commitments precluded community service "through no fault of your own". Instead he copped a $1500 fine and a six-month driving disqualification.
Liam Higgins, 34, of Eden, was convicted of driving with amphetamines present in his system. A driving while disqualified matter had been dealt with previously, but he had been brought before the court again as "it takes time for analysis to come back" Magistrate Dick said.
He took into account Mr Higgins had not committed any fresh offences in the meantime "which is important", fining him $400 with a three-month licence suspension to run concurrently with his existing ban.
Other driving matters heard on the day including more minor issues such as driving while disqualified first offences.
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