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The message was simple from Gympie Magistrate Chris Callaghan to a young P-plater caught driving on a licence that had been taken off him for too many demerit points: âDo the mathsâ.
Christopher James Gallaher, 19, pleaded guilty to driving on a disqualified licence in court on Thursday, after he was caught behind the wheel by police on November 18 last year.
The court heard Gallaher had been driving on that occasion because he wasnât aware his licence was suspended. Magistrate Chris Callaghan.
âYouâre a P plater and youâve racked up seven points. How many points do you get on your P plates? Four. Do the maths,â Mr Callaghan told Gallaher while sentencing him.
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Attacks against police officers and domestic violence were key drivers behind a rise in assault crimes that pushed the figure to its highest level in the Gympie police division in 18 years.
Police data revealed 167 assault offences were recorded in the Gympie Division in 2020, 15 more than the 152 recorded in 2019.
It was the highest number of assaults in the region since 2002, when 174 were reported.
The biggest spike in offending happened in June; almost two dozen of the area’s assaults occurred during the winter months, despite it traditionally being the quiet end of the spectrum for criminal behaviour.