Ex-Geraldton taxi driver James Michael Greenup to pay $700 in fines over speed camera altercation

A former Geraldton taxi driver has been slapped with a $500 fine for being “lippy” with a speed camera operator and hitting the woman’s car window. James Michael Greenup on Thursday appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to one count each of disorderly behaviour in public and failing to provide personal details to police. Prosecutor Sgt Paul Burkinshaw told the court Greenup had been driving on Brand Highway on December 1 when he saw the flash of a speed camera. Certain he had been complying with the speed limit, Greenup turned around and confronted the speed camera operator. The 52-year-old driver said he had been within the 90km/h zone, but the camera operator claimed the limit was 80km/h and he had been speeding. An argument ensued and defence counsel Julie Gray told the court the parties became “lippy” towards each other, with the female camera operator rolling up her car window and making a rude gesture towards Greenup. Ms Gray said Greenup became “infuriated” and felt “disrespected” by the woman, admitting he had hit the car window with his hand. He was stopped by police about an hour later and refused to give his name to officers, instead telling them: “You know who I am.” Ms Gray said Greenup claimed he had felt “extremely intimidated” and assumed the officers already knew who he was due to his past dealings with police. Magistrate Angus Hockton asked Greenup what he hoped to achieve by confronting the camera operator, saying he could have challenged a traffic infringement in court. But Greenup said he had been unsuccessful in court on similar matters in the past. He was fined $500 over the disorderly conduct and $200 for failing to provide his name to police.