Woman fined after driving without alcohol interlock device

Fined: A woman charged with multiple driving offences has been fined in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

A Shepparton woman charged with drug driving and driving without an alcohol interlock device has been fined.

Tamara Glasson, 44, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to drug driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving while suspended, driving without an alcohol interlock and failing to answer bail.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund said Glasson was driving an unregistered vehicle on St George’s Rd, Shepparton, when she was pulled over by police on April 21, 2019.

When drug tested, she returned a positive reading for methamphetamine, he said.

Sen Constable Lund said Glasson told police at the time she took a couple of MDMA pills about a week prior, but “didn’t think it would still be in my system”.

The court heard Glasson’s licence required her to use an alcohol interlock and the car did not have one.

She also told police the car belonged to a friend and she did not know it was unregistered.

Glasson was pulled over by police again about 2am on July 14, 2021, on Balaclava Rd, Shepparton.

Sen Constable Lund said she was driving with a suspended licence and without an alcohol interlock.

The court heard Glasson was unaware she was suspended from driving.

When the officers asked why she was driving without an interlock, she said the condition was “from 10 years ago”.

Glasson’s solicitor Anthony Coote said the interlock condition was applied to her licence in 2006, but that it was a “difficult exercise” to get it removed now.

Glasson told the court she had sent numerous emails to remove the condition from her licence and that she could not talk directly to VicRoads to resolve the issue.

Mr Coote said his client was currently employed, and supported by her parents.

Magistrate Peter Mithen said Glasson did not have an “enviable record” for driving matters.

Mr Mithen fined Glasson $900 and disqualified her from driving for six months.