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A Melbourne lawyer could be banned from practising as a solicitor after pleading guilty to a raft of drug and driving offences including smoking a joint before crashing his car on the way to the local library.
Emad Fuad Khraim, 28, faced Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Friday following two traffic incidents, one involving crashing into another motorist after smoking a joint, and the other being found in a car with various drugs.
The court heard that about 12.43am on August 9, police discovered a black Mercedes parked across a driveway in Malvern. When it moved about five metres to clear the driveway, police intercepted the driver, finding Khraim in the driver’s seat with a passenger nearby.
Khraim’s driver’s licence was expired at the time, and he handed over his passport to confirm his identity. Police detected a strong smell of cannabis and searched the car.
They found 34 Valium tablets and eight oxycodone tablets in the centre console and three containers of cannabis in the glove box.
Khraim made full admissions at the scene and when asked why his licence was expired, he told police he believed his mother had paid to renew it. She subsequently did.
Days later on August 14, the court heard Khraim was driving a black Mercedes sedan along Springvale Road in Doncaster East when he attempted to perform an illegal U-turn over a solid white line, colliding with a white Volkswagen sedan about 3pm. He had a valid licence at the time.
As a precaution, both drivers were taken to hospital where Khraim tested positive for cannabis.
He told police he was driving to the library about 45 minutes after smoking a joint.
Khraim, a practising lawyer, also had prior convictions for unrelated matters and a driving history, the court heard.
Defence barrister Kate Ballard argued her client should receive a fine without conviction as he was facing the prospect of disciplinary action from the Legal Services Board, which had been notified about the case.
Ballard said her client had taken proactive steps to seek treatment for his issues and wanted to continue practising as a lawyer. Suspending his driver’s licence for any more than 12 months, and convicting him, Ballard said, could impact this.
“Mr Khraim is a practising lawyer … he deeply regrets his conduct. People make mistakes, of course, but he’s well aware that as a legal practitioner, he should be holding himself to the highest standard at all times, and has failed to do that,” Ballard said.
“He’s deeply concerned he will lose the career he’s worked so hard for.”
Ballard noted her client had prior convictions for unrelated matters but pointed out Khraim was supported in court by his mother and a family friend.
He pleaded guilty to five charges, including careless driving.
Magistrate Caroline Boult accepted Khraim was remorseful, had taken the matters seriously and had sought treatment, which remained ongoing.
She said driving while having cannabis in his system, though, had put other road users at risk.
Boult convicted Khraim and ordered he pay a fine of $1500. His driver’s licence was also cancelled and disqualified for 12 months.
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