Australian online retailer Ruslan Kogan may own a BMW coupe and be booked to fly to the edge of space on Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Spaceship 2, but he appears set to be confined to buses and taxis – or maybe his bike – in the short term after Melbourne magistrate John Hardy cancelled his driving licence for six months and fined him $500 for speeding.
The sentence has been suspended pending an appeal.
Police had tracked Kogan doing 85kmh in a 50kmh zone around Melbourne’s Albert Park – which annually forms part of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix circuit.
The police originally charged him driving at a dangerous speed for doing 110kmh, but later dropped that charge and amended the speed to 85kmh. They impounded the Beemer after stopping Kogan in October 2011.
Kogan pleaded guilty to exceeding the speed limit and admitted two driving prior convictions, including one for speeding.
– Branson’s Spaceship 2 is expected to make its first sub-orbital trip to space on Christmas Day this year. Richard Branson will be on board along with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – but Kogan, along with around 500 other folk who have paid deposits on the $200,000 two-hour flight, may have to wait for later trips.
