A LENIENT Gold Coast magistrate has reduced the fine handed to a member of the notorious Finks Terror Team caught travelling at almost twice the legal speed limit.
Graeme Anthony Keating, 50, was clocked doing 115km/h on his Harley Davidson through the 60km/h construction zone at Mudgeeraba on the M1 in May last year. Keating — the older brother of Mongols national sergeant-at-arms Greg Keating — was wearing Finks colours and carrying a female passenger when he was caught about 8.30pm.
The court was told Keating claimed he was rushing to help someone who was threatening to commit suicide.
When questioned by police, he admitted the person lived at Redbank Plains, was with other people and he had not called 000 for help.
At that speed — 55km/h over the legal limit — Keating was issued a mandatory $1026 fine and given an automatic six- month driving suspension.
The court was told Keating had a “substantial” eight-page traffic history.
Keating, now believed to have patched over to the Mongols alongside his brother, contested the ticket in Coolangatta court yesterday.
Magistrate Kerry Magee noted that it was “not the first time” Keating had exceeded the speed limit, but still reduced the fine to $750.
The decision infuriated police who have launched a massive safety campaign to ensure drivers slow down in the M1 construction zone.
Almost two drivers each minute are being caught by police speeding through the road works.
“The reduced speed limits are there to protect road workers, there have been numerous road workers killed or injured in previous years,” police said at the campaign launch.
“The areas are zoned 60km/h for safety. Not only for road workers, but with the lanes so narrow, there is no room for error.”
