Nazzareno Santoro pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court online on Friday to speeding while having drugs in his system, and driving without a seatbelt while also having drugs in his system.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Carita Thompson told the court police caught Santoro driving at 124 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Cobram-Koonoomoo Rd, Cobram, on February 16.
He also tested positive to methamphetamines.
The court also heard that on a separate occasion, Santoro was caught driving without a seatbelt and also tested positive to having methamphetamine in his system, in Broadway St, Cobram, on March 28.
Santoro’s solicitor Allison Vaughan said her client worked on his family’s stone fruit farm, supporting his father.
She said he did not habitually use ice, but the farm had fallen on exceptionally hard times with the drought and he used methamphetamine to numb himself.
Santoro told the court he was disappointed in himself and also very embarrassed.
“I didn’t realise the strain it would put on my family physically, emotionally and financially,” he said.
“A stupid mistake on my behalf could have affected someone else on the road. I am very sorry for that.”
Magistrate Peter Dunn placed Santoro on a 12-month good behavior bond.
His driver’s licence was disqualified for 12 months on the March charges, and was backdated to that date.
Santoro's driver's licence was disqualified for a further 12 months on the February charges, with the disqualification effective from the day he appeared in court.
No convictions were recorded.
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