A man who was caught speeding as he was rushing to see his dying father has been refused to have the penalty fine dismissed out of compassion.
Sydney voice coach Marcus West was travelling 80km/h in a 60km/h zone on January 25 at 4am and was snapped by a fixed speed camera on Military Rd, Northern Sydney, according to the Daily Telegraph.
He was racing to see his dad in Greenwich Hospital who was dying of liver cancer. West missed his 82-year-old father’s last breath by 10 minutes.
He then received the $260 fine, and sent a copy of his father’s death certificate to the Office of State Revenue to prove his case in a bid to avoid the fine.
West got a reply acknowledging the “difficult personal circumstances you were facing”, but they said they’d only offer leniency if he had an unblemished driving record for 10 years. He was told he must pay the fine.
West believes he’s only had one or two speeding fines in that entire time frame.
“If there are ever going to be mitigating circumstances then the middle of the night on a six-lane road trying to reach my father before he’s breathed his last, that would be it,” he said.
West will be fighting the fine in court.
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