Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/ ... ceride.jpg

And its over this:

Accused drink-driver can remain on road

Tuesday, 26 October 2004

Katie Lapthorne

Herald Sun 26oct04

A WOMAN accused of killing a motorcyclist at the weekend while drink-driving can remain on the road.
A magistrate yesterday gave Melanie Louise Edwards, 27, permission to drive her car to and from work.

Tuesday, 26 October 2004

Katie Lapthorne

Herald Sun 26oct04

A WOMAN accused of killing a motorcyclist at the weekend while drink-driving can remain on the road.
A magistrate yesterday gave Melanie Louise Edwards, 27, permission to drive her car to and from work.

Ms Edwards was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit the motorcyclist at Wallan on Saturday and arrived home in a car splattered with blood and pieces of flesh, Melbourne Magistrates Court was told.

The court heard Ms Edwards was driving on the Northern Highway about 7pm when her car crossed double lines, on to the wrong side of the road and collided with the motorbike, killing its 41-year-old rider.

Senior Constable Trevor Collins told the court Ms Edwards had admitted spending the day drinking with a friend before getting in the car to drive home.

The court heard Ms Edwards told police she had shared two bottles of wine, and drunk two full-strength beers and another half glass of wine during the afternoon.

Sen-Constable Collins said Ms Edwards said during a record of interview her friend had gone to bed because she was tired and drunk, and she had decided to head home.

The court heard Ms Edwards told police she had no recollection of seeing any vehicle before or after the collision.

Sen-Constable Collins said Ms Edwards told police she stopped after the accident and checked her car before driving off. He said Ms Edwards' car eventually stopped because a front tyre was shredded.

Sen-Constable Trevor Collins said when he inspected the car he saw "blood and large pieces of flesh" on the vehicle.

A line of blood, which Ms Edwards said she thought was red paint, was found on the left side of the car.

Ms Edwards, of Mill Park, faces charges of culpable driving causing death, driving under the influence and failing to render assistance.

The court heard Ms Edwards was a sales assistant and needed her car two days a week for work purposes.

Police initially made it a condition of Ms Edwards' bail that she not drive, but magistrate Ian Gray varied the order, allowing her to drive to and from work. Ms Edwards was ordered to appear in court again in January.

What???!!!

How the fark can that be considered justice??

Beats me, and a lot of other people, that's why the protest is being staged....

This is also the reason for my dig in the other post that you put up about the guy speeding Colette, hope you didn't think I was diggin directly at you

It'll all be clear now

No offense taken at all - I only wish I could join you on the ride, but it's a little far from home
I'll be there in ZZR spirit, though...

Whorebag. Dumb cows like her should rot in jail. I really can't stand drink drivers.

Thanks for posting the specifics Karen. As i had a huge spray on the original post i will keep my composure here. Needless to say thank god "the people" are taken the System on & are trying to rectify this Travisty of Justice. Anyone that irresponsible doesnt deserve the privaledge of a motor vehicle licence in any form EVER AGAIN.
Brett

I too absolutely cracked that shits when I read the original post, its bloody outrage, I wish I could participate but im down in tassie.

If you look at this subjectively.
I do understand where you are coming from.
I'm the first to say that her actions were absolutely despicable, but she hasn't even been to trial yet.
Yes she should, and probably will, get an all expenses paid holiday. History shows us that it will be anywhere from six to twelve years.
We live in a democracy, and although it may horrify us all, she in is innocent until found guilty. An innocent person should not be denied to earn a legitimate living. Apparently her car is essential to do this.
There are numerous cases where an individual who has since been found guilty of murder, has been freed on bail prior to trial. Remember that this was not a premeditated act.
If we are all brutally honest with our selves, I’m sure that either we have, or we know friends or family who have done things that could have potentially ended like this.
To protest and sway the courts decision is only undermining the foundations of the democracy that we all enjoy.
It would be an absolute travesty if enough public support were generated to impede a fair trial.
Do any of you guys and girls (I do luv you all), think that bwe have a greater social awarness and a better understanding of other precidents in such cases as the court system itself.
If the system is faulty, it can only be changed after the trial, not during.

I think our efforts would better focused on preventing similar tragedies occurring again. No amount of protesting will help the victims.

I agree with you matty about trusting in the legal system i really do... but...
It has failed us already with regard to this woman. She got pissed and killed a man, to add insult to (critical) injury she didnt even know she had done it.
This woman has absolutely NO PLACE ON THE ROAD, she can get public transport or another job or be unemplyed or homeless, she should not be in a vehicle.
I believe in one being innocent until proven guilty but I dont think there is any dispute as to whether or not she killed the man so she IS guilty.
She should be banned from driving forever and from drinking forever too if it was possible.

I was going to comment on this... but I wont.

aardvark wrote:I was going to comment on this... but I wont.

Go on. I'd be genuinely interested to hear your ideas. There are no right or wrong answers to this.

Matt
spot on mate!
the only comment i want to make is that the 'system' is out of kilter
how so?
get caught at a booze bus...thats it!
leave the car and the keys with Mr Policeman..by the side of the
road, and you can't drive until your (penalty) time is up...
nope..you walk(cab, train etc) to work or lose your job!

In this instance, the driver kills someone (it does not matter that it was a biker,
it could have been a pedestrian , a cyclist, another cager)
drives off (leaves the scene of a fatal accident)
admits to the drink driving offence
and can still drive a car

just does not feel right.....

and I think thats why people are up in arms...

cheers

Smitty1955 wrote: get caught at a booze bus...thats it!
leave the car and the keys with Mr Policeman..by the side of the
road, and you can't drive until your (penalty) time is up...

hmm i was wondering how that worked. i figured you'd keep your license until you went to court . obviously not driving home though.
That changes my views on this a bit then. I thought she was being treated as any other drink driver would be. seems she's getting special treatment, because the severity of the case allows the judge to make the decision rather than it being automatic.
if they can prove she was drunk when she was driving then she should lose her license full stop. the other charges can come later.
maybe i will turn up after all.
go on jason we wanna hear your views

and now back to studying.

nikos
haven't you seen the piccies in the paper?
after the last blitz on the Eastern freeway
27 were caught over the limit...
there was a photo the next day...of all the drivers cars lined
up on the grass on the side of the freeway ...

that is disgusting.i like all of u am appallled....and to think, im looking
at losing my licence, and probably my job for being a bee's dick over the
limit...ok so i WAS slightly over, and i shouldnt have been riding..however
i didnt hurt anyone, didnt kill any1, and i can remeber all the events of
the said night...im not whinging & bitching (well maybe just a little, but i
wouldnt be NEKA if i wasnt), but im expecting to cop my punishment on the
chin, an i learnt a valuable lesson from the night in question...to hurt
oneself doing sumthing stupid is one thing, but to affect other ppl's lives
(think of the family,freinds,colleagues etc) is fuking criminal....thats my
rant..
Neka
2000 CBR 929RR
1988 KDX200 thrasher
1996 VS SERIES 2 UTE
"dont hate me cos im sexy, hate me cos ur mrs thinks im sexy"



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