Geraldton court fines three Chinese nationals for reckless driving exceeding the limit by more than 45km/h

Three Chinese nationals caught speeding by more than 45km/h on Mid West roads this month have all told the court their reckless driving was because they did not see the speed signs.

Guangke Guo, 45 appeared in person at Geraldton Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to reckless driving exceeding the speed limit by 45km/h or more.

Police prosecutor Sgt Paul Burkinshaw said Guo was clocked travelling at a speed of 129km/h in an 80km/h zone along North West Coastal Highway near Northampton on Sunday, July 21. He was stopped by police in the Geraldton suburb of Glenfield about 1.30pm.

The international visitor told the court “I didn’t see the sign” and he did not intend to drive that fast.

He was fined $700 plus costs of $156 and his driver’s licence was disqualified for six months.

On Thursday, another two Chinese nationals appeared in the same court via video link from Taiwan, where they both pleaded guilty to reckless driving exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h.

The court was told Cheng-Ching and Po-Yu Chen, aged 50 and 39, were convoying together in Kia Ceratos on Brand Highway in Tarcoola Beach in a 70km/h zone on Friday, July 5.

Police prosecutor Sgt Beau Jones said about 8pm, police patrols observed the cars travelling at high speeds and used a mobile speed radar, which clocked Cheng-Ching travelling at 122km/h and Po-Yu at 118km/h.

Both drivers were arrested at the scene and released on bail.

A Mandarin interpreter speaking on behalf of the Chinese men said they were both travelling with their young children and wives in the car and would never risk their safety by intentionally driving recklessly.

Both said they did not notice any speed limit signs.

The men were fined $800 plus costs of $156 and had their licences disqualified for six months.

Magistrate Kelly Thompson accepted their actions were not intentional, but told the men to be “aware of the speed limit before driving at such speed”.