Fines for speed camera cheats
Several people have been fined for wilfully misleading police after admitting to trying to cheat WA's demerit point system.
Perth Magistrate Richard Bromfield commented there "is a lot of this going on" as he heard 18 cases today involving speeding drivers and others who falsely took the blame for their traffic infringements after a police crackdown on the alleged rort.
Magistrate Bromfield described one man's actions as "premeditated, detailed deception" as he denied the man's plea to be spared a conviction on his record.
Sushanta Roy admitted he had falsely claimed he was driving when his friend, taxi driver Chamandeep Singh Bhullar, was caught speeding. Mr Bhullar also pleaded guilty today to speeding and wilfully misleading police.
Mr Roy told the court he had done it for altruistic reasons not for personal gain and did not want the mark on his record.
"It was clearly done to deceive and defeat the intention of the legislature," Magistrate Bromfield said.
An 84-year-old woman who tried to take the blame for her daughter's speeding infringement to help her keep her licence was also fined.
The court was told Enid Page's daughter, Debra Chappell, had 11 demerit points when she was caught speeding 11km/h over the limit in her husband Peter's porsche in Nedlands in June.
The Chappells and Ms Page conspired to claim the 84-year-old was instead driving at the time of the speed camera offence.
The trio did not appear in court and Magistrate Bromfield fined each of the Chappells $750 and Ms Page $500 for wilfully misleading police.
The alleged rorting cases in court today were discovered during an audit of more than 200,000 red light and speed camera infringements. The review was launched in November after a man was caught advertising on Gumtree for strangers to take the demerit points for his speeding tickets.
Several other cases were adjourned today as those charged indicated they might fight the allegations.
Police have not revealed how many of the infringements under review have already been audited but they say they expect to lay more charges.
