Magistrate cops license suspension for speeding

A leadfoot magistrate who has spent more than a decade on the bench telling off dodgy drivers has lost his licence for speeding.

Senior Geelong Magistrate Ronald Saines was caught travelling at more than 25km/h over the limit, leading to an automatic 28-day suspension. The magistrate, who has berated dangerous drivers who appeared before him, was forced to explain himself to Chief Magistrate Peter Lauritsen.

Mr Lauritsen told News Corp Australia in a statement that he still had confidence in Mr Saines' judgment when considering cases involving speeding drivers.

Mr Saines was attempting to overtake five cars on a highway, which included an unmarked highway patrol car

"I have discussed the circumstances surrounding the suspension of his licence," he said. "I am satisfied he has performed, and will continue to perform, his duties as a magistrate properly." Insiders claim that Mr Saines was attempting to overtake five cars on a highway, which included an unmarked highway patrol car.

The police officer in the unmarked car pulled over Mr Saines' red Holden Calais and gave him an infringement notice for driving between 25km/h and 34km/h over the limit, sources claim.

The magistrate enlisted a court staff member to drive him from his Ballarat home to work at the Geelong courts during his suspension, insiders claim.

The incident happened in November last year and Mr Saines served his suspension in late December.

News Corp Australia delivered a letter in person, and wrote several emails to Mr Saines to provide him with a right of reply. He declined to comment.

But Mr Saines, who became a magistrate in 2002 after a long career in personal injury cases at a firm in Ballarat, has been vocal when handing down sentences in cases involving speeding drivers.

In two cases of drivers accused of reaching similar speeds as he was clocked at, he has been scathing. He told one hoon who appeared before him for reaching 139km/h in a 100km/h zone: "When you eventually do get your licence back, you will have to start over with a completely different attitude to driving." And he warned a schoolie clocked at 84km/h in a 50km/h zone of the dangers of speeding.

"You had your licence less than 12 months. When you drive like that you are just split seconds from losing control," he said in May 2008.

But in another case, Mr Saines dismissed charges against a hoon driver who was clocked doing 37km/h an hour over the limit in a 5.4-litre Ford XR8. Court reports from 2006 say Mr Saines accepted the driver believed the speedometer was wrong, although he was convinced he was doing at least 35km/h over the limit.

Mr Saines is the co-ordinating magistrate at Geelong and sits on the Adult Parole Board.

He has sat in judgement of Geelong footballer Mathew Stokes, who appeared before him on drugs charges.

He has hit the headlines several times in Geelong.

He dismissed a case against a sex offender last year who was accused of trying to take a child away from her father.