COURT: Gympie father fined after Bunnings trip gone wrong
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A Gympie region father who got a lift to Bunnings from his son, and later tried to drive to a hospital on a banned licence when his son became incapacitated, has been fined in court.
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Mark Stephen McCarthy faced the Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday after he was caught behind the wheel on Langton Rd at Monkland on December 1 last year.
McCarthy’s licence had been suspended on medical grounds.
Representing himself in the court, McCarthy told Magistrate Kurt Fowler he had asked his son for a lift to Bunnings on that date after the latter had returned from a night of drinking with friends.
McCarthy told the court the date in question had been extremely hot, and when he returned to the car from Bunnings he found his son severely dehydrated.
He said his first thought was to drive his incapacitated son to hospital for medical treatment, but he was pulled over shortly after.
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Mr Fowler noted McCarthy’s version of events but pointed out to him that he could have called an ambulance for his son, or raised help from Bunnings staff.
McCarthy pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and was fined $400. No further action was taken against his licence.
