Michelle Course was minding her own business eating an ice cream on a fine Monday afternoon last year when she was suddenly fined a whopping $500 penalty.

The 35-year-old mum from Melbourne was eating a Magnum Double Caramel Ego when she was stopped by the Victoria Police, charging her with a $496 infringement for driving while using her ‘mobile phone’.

Michelle has been fighting tooth and nail over the $500 fine for her alleged violation. After more than a year, the police have finally admitted their mistake.

Michelle works as a beautician and is raising her four-year-old son. Photo from Channel 9.​

Michelle was charged with the violation at 4:40 PM on November 2 last year.

She admitted to not being able to afford the penalty, thus arguing her case with the cops.

She showed the police officers her receipt for the ice cream, which had been purchased along with petrol at a nearby service station just six minutes earlier.

“There’s no way I could be eating my Magnum Ego, holding my phone and driving at the same time,” reasoned Michelle.

“I’d only just returned back to work for a week and then copping this fine, that’s your whole wage gone.”

However, the evidence was insufficient to sway the police, so she took things further.

This time, Michelle demanded dash-camera footage of the incident from the police officers who fined her.

She also brought up a log of her phone records, showing that she hadn’t called anyone before the police pulled her over.

Just as the case was set to go to court, authorities contacted Michelle informing her that the legal battle would no longer proceed.

“Common sense has prevailed, and the fine has been dropped,” said the Melbourne mum, who revealed that her beautician business has been struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It will make a big difference for us,” she said. “It‘s been another tough year during COVID.”


Crazy! How did it take the police almost a year to realise their mistake? That’s why you can never be too careful on the road, folks! Avoid using your mobile phones while driving and we guess eating ice cream too, or else this might happen to you too…

 

[Xe]

Sadly a lot of police are on power trips and will never admit they're wrong

 

[Linde]

I always thought the law was that you have to have 2 hands on the wheel ,,They musnt have checked their own photo on the camera ..Bit tardy Vic police

 

[Fat&fancy]

Sadly a lot of police are on power trips and will never admit they're wrong

Agreed!

 

[Liz]

I feel she is still in the wrong, you need two hands on the steering wheel and to concentrate when driving.

 

[Vinylted]

I'm with Liz there.. it's attention being diverted from your driving..

 

[SX2002]

Any distraction that takes your concentration off your driving is illegal, she still should have been fined...

 

[Jenmar85]

In Queensland it’s illegal to eat while driving so she would have copped a fine anyway if it had been up here.

 

[Defiant540]

Police charged Melbourne mum $500 for eating ice cream​

Michelle Course was minding her own business eating an ice cream on a fine Monday afternoon last year when she was suddenly fined a whopping $500 penalty.

The 35-year-old mum from Melbourne was eating a Magnum Double Caramel Ego when she was stopped by the Victoria Police, charging her with a $496 infringement for driving while using her ‘mobile phone’.

Michelle has been fighting tooth and nail over the $500 fine for her alleged violation. After more than a year, the police have finally admitted their mistake.

Michelle works as a beautician and is raising her four-year-old son. Photo from Channel 9.​

Michelle was charged with the violation at 4:40 PM on November 2 last year.

She admitted to not being able to afford the penalty, thus arguing her case with the cops.

She showed the police officers her receipt for the ice cream, which had been purchased along with petrol at a nearby service station just six minutes earlier.

“There’s no way I could be eating my Magnum Ego, holding my phone and driving at the same time,” reasoned Michelle.

“I’d only just returned back to work for a week and then copping this fine, that’s your whole wage gone.”

However, the evidence was insufficient to sway the police, so she took things further.

This time, Michelle demanded dash-camera footage of the incident from the police officers who fined her.

She also brought up a log of her phone records, showing that she hadn’t called anyone before the police pulled her over.

Just as the case was set to go to court, authorities contacted Michelle informing her that the legal battle would no longer proceed.

“Common sense has prevailed, and the fine has been dropped,” said the Melbourne mum, who revealed that her beautician business has been struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It will make a big difference for us,” she said. “It‘s been another tough year during COVID.”


Crazy! How did it take the police almost a year to realise their mistake? That’s why you can never be too careful on the road, folks! Avoid using your mobile phones while driving and we guess eating ice cream too, or else this might happen to you too…

that can be just as dangerous!