A TERANG man who went past police on a motorcycle up to 150km/h has been fined and banned from driving.
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Shane Poke, 40, of Wilson Street, Terang, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with speeding, not displaying learner plates and riding a non-approved motorcycle.
Police Prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said Poke had been driving on the Princes Highway near Terang on Tuesday, March 25, at 7.20pm when he overtook the unmarked police car.
“His estimated speed was somewhere between 150 and 160k/mh,” Senior Constable Harris said. “Police flashed the sirens and lights and the accused pulled over.”
Poke, representing himself in court, said he was unaware how fast he was going but accepted the motorcycle was well above the approved limit. He said he was recovering from personal hardship and said the motorbike was the only way to combat depression.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said he didn’t accept Poke’s reasoning.
“You had a learner’s permit. You could have been riding a bike to get that sense of freedom and to get out of the house,” Mr Mellas said.
“In the frame of mind you were in, you were a menace to yourself but, more importantly, a menace to other people.
“Anything could have gone wrong, especially at that speed ... if you had come off the bike you would have written yourself off.”
Poke was fined $663 and disqualified from driving for 12 months, and ordered to undertake a safe-driving program.