Gerard Diaz, 37, formally of Mossvale Court in Endeavour Hills, was one of five separate offenders to front the court.

Diaz pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to appear in court and drink-driving.

On October 31 in 2009 he was driving on Mossgiel Park Drive in Endeavour Hills when he lost control at a roundabout and hit an oncoming car. Diaz left the scene before returning on foot to give his details to the other driver. He later recorded a blood-alcohol reading of .153.

The court heard Diaz had prior convictions for driving while disqualified and drink-driving.

Defence counsel Xavier Farrelly said Diaz now lived with his partner and children in Warrnambool, which had been a good influence on him.

Via video link from Geelong Magistrates Court, magistrate Ann McGarvie cancelled and disqualified Diaz’s licence for 30 months, convicted and fined him $1500 and imposed a five-month jail sentence wholly suspended for 24 months.

In another case, Scott Conn, 31, of Fuller Street, Camperdown, pleaded guilty to driving while suspended, using an unregistered vehicle and fraudulently using number plates.

On September 30 last year Conn was intercepted by police on the Cobden-Stoneyford Road, telling them he wasn’t going anywhere but just testing his new car.

The court heard Conn had an appalling driving history.

Conn was convicted and sentenced to five months’ jail, wholly suspended for 24 months, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Northcote woman Sally Tatterson, 47, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and unlicensed driving. She had been stopped by police in the early hours of Saturday morning on Sackville Street in Port Fairy during the Queen’s Birthday weekend last year. She had a blood-alcohol reading of .163 and was unlicensed.

The court heard Tatterson decided to drive after camping with her partner, who became abusive. It was her third offence and Ms McGarvie said in order to get away from her aggressive partner Tatterson had put the entire community at risk.

She was convicted and sentenced to three months in jail, wholly suspended for 12 months, and disqualified from driving for 32 months.

Allan Morrison, 32, of Westmore Avenue, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving while disqualified after he was caught on October 8 last year at 8.45am on Whites Road in Warrnambool with a blood-alcohol level of .023. 

His licence had been cancelled for six months because of a previous drink-driving offence. He was convicted and fined $2000 and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for 12 months.

Andrew Rundell, 43, of Oswald Street, Portland, was supervising his learner-driver daughter when he recorded a blood-alcohol reading of .148 in Bank Street, Port Fairy on November 2 last year.

Rundell represented himself at court and pleaded guilty, saying he had no excuse and was very remorseful.

He was fined $500 without conviction.