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Rockingham court: man who refused to name the driver of his car fined $2800

Gabrielle JefferyWeekend Kwinana Courier

Rick Lee Wilson appeared via video link from Casuarina Prison in Rockingham Magistrates Court on June 13.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to give information identifying the driver or person in charge of a vehicle.

The prosecutor said the same Volvo S40 sedan was used at different times between December 2015 and February 2016.

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On December 27, 2015 the car was detected driving at 150km/h in an 80km/h zone on Marmion Avenue in North Beach, and on another occasion, it was detected at 160km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Kwinana Freeway.

In a third instance, the car was detected driving at 105km/h in a 60km/h zone before it suddenly braked heavily, did a u-turn and drove in the opposite direction.

At a later date, the Volvo was filled up with almost 70 litres of fuel at a Shell service station in Balcatta.

After receiving a report the fuel had been stolen, police attempted to stop the vehicle, but it accelerated away heavily through built-up areas and driving on the wrong side of the road near pedestrians.

Wilson accepted it was his car, but refused to identify the driver.

“He could not or would not say, Your Honour,” the prosecutor said.

Magistrate Leanne Atkinson said the court’s hands were tied.

“The only power the court has is to fine you,” she said.

“People were put in danger, you have failed.

“Unless you are prepared to give details, police can’t do their job.”

Wilson was fined $500 on each of the first four charges, with an $800 fine for the fifth charge involving dangerous driving around pedestrians.