Errol David Charles fined $1000 and to spend five months off road after convictions

Errol David Charles, 52, was sentenced for two charges of driving with an illicit substance in his system at Griffith Local Court on May 3 after entering pleas of guilty.

According to documents tendered to court, police stopped Charles while he was driving a Holden VT Commodore on Palla Street at 7.35pm on December 24, 2022.

Police say Charles had exceeded the posted speed limit on Cutler Avenue, and they administered a roadside breath test which was negative.

The drug test was positive and he was arrested and taken back to Griffith police station for a secondary test which was positive for methylamphetamine.

The second charge is from January 22 at 12.01am, when Charles was driving south on Merrigal Street and he was stopped by police for random testing.

The court heard a breath test came back negative but the drug test was positive and a secondary test was positive for methylamphetamine.

Charles was driving two passengers, an adult and a child at the time.

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His lawyer Jenni Bridges said she had spoken to her client about the seriousness of the offences.

Ms Bridges told the court there were aggravating factors of speed in December and having a child in the car in January.

She told the court Charles had had a break in offending for some years having secured employment and after getting drug and alcohol counselling, had given up cigarettes and cannabis

She said Charles had caught COVID-19 which had interrupted his employment and he was currently seeking work.

Magistrate Trevor Khan took into account Charles' early plea of guilty and noted it was the first time he had appeared before court on charges of drug driving.

Mr Khan fined Charles $400 for the first charge and disqualified him from driving for three months from May 3, and then fined him $600 for the second charge and disqualified him from driving for five months.

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