Actor Vince Colosimo has been hit with a $2500 fine after he was caught drug driving for a second time and lied to police about who he was.
The 55-year-old Underbelly star pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday to drug driving, driving whilst unlicensed and giving police false details.
Colosimo was driving his silver Peugeot to his mother’s place in April last year when police intercepted him after picking up on his registration, which revealed he was unlicensed, the court was told.
He initially said he did not have his licence on him, telling officers he was Anthony Colosimo and had a twin brother.
Colosimo pleaded with police not to test him for drugs, ultimately admitting to using marijuana some days before.
He also smoked other drugs but was unsure what they were, he said, and officers later found methamphetamine in his sample.
Colosimo ultimately came clean to police and said he’d lost his licence months earlier. It was cancelled in 2017, with Colosimo having two prior offences for driving while suspended.
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He hadn’t applied for a new licence by 2021.
Magistrate Olivia Trumble said that was “probably pretty foolish” of Colosimo and he should have found the time to get a new licence.
He didn’t because of work and family commitments, lawyer George Vassis said.
The actor was “deeply embarrassed” by his conduct and publicity around it added to his punishment, Vassis said.
Colosimo has more than 160 unpaid fines totalling more than $65,000, the court was told. The magistrate urged him to take his “head out of the sand” and set up payment plans for what he owed.
Trumble fined him $2500 and disqualified his licence for 16 months.
