WAGGA LOCAL COURT
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MOBILE speed cameras have been the subject of much abuse since being introduced into Wagga, but a drunken Jackson Barnes went too far when he hurled a can of alcohol at one of them.
Barnes was a passenger in a mate's ute when he threw the can of bourbon into a rear quarter window of a parked Ford Territory carrying the speed camera on Edward Street on October 13.
The can caused significant damage to the window, according to police.
In Wagga Local Court yesterday, 19-year-old Barnes, of Franklin in the Australian Capital Territory, was fined $300 after pleading guilty to maliciously damaging property.
Barnes was also ordered to pay $260 compensation for the car window and another $1516.20 for what was described in police facts as "additional compensation for further expenses that were incurred" by Redflex, the company contracted by the state government to operate mobile speed cameras.
Not surprisingly, Barnes's vandalism was caught on camera, and an operator was also inside the Territory when it was bombarded.
Barnes did not appear in court yesterday, but instead confessed in a written notice of plea and wrote in a separate letter that he could not afford to take a day off work to attend court.
He apologised for his actions and said he had sworn off the grog as a result of this incident.
"This behaviour is out of character and is the result of too many alcoholic drinks, which I have since given up due to the outcome of this one-off night out," Barnes wrote.
He said he was extremely disappointed in himself and remorseful for his actions.
In fining Barnes, magistrate Michael Antrum described the vandalism as a reckless, dangerous and stupid action.