A Wollongong man caught driving at nearly double the speed limit along Memorial Drive told police he was trying to catch thieves who had stolen $80 cash from him.
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Benjamin Bede Kooper, 42, pleaded guilty in Port Kembla Court on Tuesday to driving at a dangerous speed after he was clocked travelling at up to 170km/h between North Wollongong and Towradgi at 10.30am on Sunday, August 24.
The court heard police conducting speed checks near the University of Wollongong noticed Kooper’s Daihatsu Charade approaching them rapidly and estimated his speed at about 130km/h as he passed them.
Police tried to catch up with Kooper’s vehicle, which by then officers said was reaching speeds of between 160 and 170km/h in the signposted 90km/h zone.
Kooper was seen to overtake nine vehicles while police were following him.
Highway patrol officers activated their lights and sirens, prompting Kooper to pull off the main road at Towradgi and stop his vehicle.
When asked why he was travelling at excessive speed, Kooper told police: ‘‘I think someone stole $80 from me, I’m trying to catch up to the person I think did it’’.
While he failed to provide more details to police at the time, Kooper’s lawyer, Danny Lagopodis, told the court on Tuesday that just before the crime, Kooper had been showing the Charade to an acquaintance he had bumped into at a service station.
Mr Lagopodis said the acquaintance and another person took a look inside the car before both quickly hopped into their own car and drove off.
He said when Kooper got in his own car, he noticed his wallet had been disturbed, and discovered $80 was missing.
‘‘He then makes the decision to jump in his car and try to catch up with the car,’’ Mr Lagopodis said.
‘‘It was a silly thing he did in trying to pursue those people. He acted without thinking.’’
Police prosecutor Sergeant Shannon Ryan urged the court to impose a stiff penalty on Kooper, describing the speed at which he drove that morning as ‘‘horrendous’’.
‘‘It’s a main arterial road into the Illawarra,’’ Sgt Ryan said.
‘‘The potential for disaster was high.’’
Magistrate Susan McGowan agreed the matter was a serious one, but noted Kooper didn’t have a bad driving record.
He was fined $850, placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months and disqualified from driving for 15 months.
