Actor Vince Colosimo is unable to pay back more than $61,000 in fines as he is living a “meagre” lifestyle with no financial assets, his lawyer says.
The Underbelly star, 56, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday by video link from his Legal Aid lawyer’s offices.
Colosimo’s lawyer Julia Munster asked the court to dismiss the fines, which now total $61,858.60, as he has multiple mental illnesses which had impaired his ability to keep on top of the infringements.
She said he had been assessed by a psychologist as suffering from dependence to methamphetamines, ADHD, generalised anxiety disorder and PTSD.
“He suffers from profound mental illnesses, special circumstances do apply to him,” she told the court.
Further, she said he was living a “meagre lifestyle” with no financial assets.
Munster said Colosimo had paid $6025 in fees to the court earlier this week for another matter, but he had to borrow that money.
She said the infringements, which include fines for failing to vote, unpaid tolls and speeding tickets, were initially less than $30,000 but that amount had more than doubled due to additional fees imposed by the sheriff.
Colosimo was facing possible jail time, but Magistrate Guillaume Bailin took that off the table on Thursday.
He agreed with Munster that Colosimo was vulnerable due to his mental illnesses and decided the actor will not be required to pay back the full amount.
Instead, the magistrate flagged Colosimo may have to undertake some community work.
Bailin will hand down his decision later on Thursday afternoon.
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