Unlicenced, no-helmet rider allegedly caught with toddler riding pillion - Operation Spoiler
Tuesday, 10 December 2024 01:31:43 PM
Police have charged a man allegedly caught riding an unregistered motorcycle with a two-year-old pillion passenger during a four-day road safety blitz on the state’s north-west.
Operation Spoiler ran between Thursday 5 December 2024 to Monday 9 December 2024 targeting road users in the Armidale and Tamworth areas.
The operation was a proactive initiative launched in response to 293 major collisions with 32 fatalities recorded in the New England and Oxley police districts between January 2024 and December 2024.
Traffic and Highway Patrol’s Traffic Response Group deployed 12 staff to Armidale and Tamworth, utilising nine motorcycles and three highway patrol vehicles to saturate the region, focusing on Armidale, Inverell, Tamworth, Tenterfield and surrounding areas.
A total of 184 penalty notices were issued, including 34 for speeding offences, 19 for seatbelt offences, 20 for illegal use of a mobile phone, and 111 various traffic offences.
Officers conducted 402 random breath tests, resulting in two drink-drive offences; however, of the 237 oral fluid tests conducted, 35 drivers tested positive to driving with illicit drugs present.
Additionally, police laid 14 traffic charges and six criminal charges including three counts of breach of bail, and three AVO offences.
Items of notes included,
- About 12.20pm Friday (6 December 2024), that officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command stopped a 24-year-old man while riding along Green Street, West Tamworth. Police will allege neither the man – who’s rider’s licence is disqualified until April 2025 – or the two-year-old girl riding pillion, were wearing helmets. The man also allegedly returned a positive roadside drug test. He has now been charged with riding whilst disqualified and issued five penalty notices for registration and helmet offences. The man was issued a future court attendance notice to appear before Tamworth Local Court on Monday 13 January 2025.
- On 8 December a 52-year-old woman was stopped in West Tamworth. Checks revealed she was disqualified from driving until December 2025. When she allegedly returned a positive roadside drug test she was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station. She was charged with driving while disqualified as well as three counts of breach of bail. She was refused bail and appeared at Tamworth Local Court yesterday (Monday 9 December 2024).
- On same day, a 56-year-old man from Manilla allegedly tested positive to methamphetamine after being stopped in the Tamworth CBD. The driver submitted to a search where police allegedly located and seized knives. The driver was charged with drive vehicle, illicit drug present in blood and has been issued a future court attendance notice to appear at Tamworth Local Court Monday 10 February 2024.
Superintendent Paul Glinn said the four-day operation demonstrated NSW Police’s commitment to driving down road traffic offences.
“Traffic and Highway Patrol Command has committed significant resources to the north-west of NSW in a pro-active high-visibility operation aimed to ensuring all road users in the region know we are serious about driving down road traffic offences,” Supt Glinn said.
“Our intelligence-driven operations will be continuing to identify and target at-risk locations.
“We will continue to work closely with local police and the community to make every effort possible to identify road users breaking the law and bring them before the court,” Supt Glinn said.