Underbelly actor to perform community work over $61k unpaid fines - 9News

Colosimo, who has acted in almost 70 productions on the big and small screen, had been untreated for his ADHD for years which led to him self-medicating with illicit drugs, including methamphetamines, the court was told.

Vince Colosimo appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court today. (Luis Enrique Ascui)

He has been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, dependence on methamphetamines, generalised anxiety disorder and PTSD.

These issues culminated in Colosimo disregarding his civil obligations, by failing to pay off parking, speeding, traffic, toll and voting fines between 2013 and 2022, which now total $61,858.60, Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said.

Colosimo's lawyer Julia Munster asked the magistrate to dismiss all of the fines as she said her client was vulnerable due to his multiple mental illnesses, and could not afford to pay the amount now owed to Victoria's sheriff's office.

"He suffers from profound mental illnesses, special circumstances do apply to him," she told the court.

She said Colosimo's financial situation was difficult, with no major financial assets to his name and a "precarious" housing and working situation where he has few employment prospects beyond labouring jobs.

"He's living a meagre lifestyle with very limited financial capacity to really to meet his current obligations, let alone anything else," she said.

Actor Vince Colosimo's fall from grace has played out in court as a magistrate ordered him to perform community work (Nine)

Colosimo recently paid $6025 in court fees, but he had to borrow that money, she said.

Munster said the infringements, which include fines for failing to vote in council elections, unpaid tolls and speeding tickets, were initially less than $30,000 but that amount had more than doubled due to additional fees imposed by the sheriff.

Colosimo was facing possible jail time, but Bailin took that off the table on Thursday.

He instead found Colosimo was vulnerable due to his mental illnesses and dismissed $58,000 he owed to the sheriff.

"These illnesses all operated collectively to contribute to the infringement conduct and inattention to civic duties," Bailin said.

Readers seeking support can speak with financial counsellors at the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiemh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LjluZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9hY3Rvci1mb3VuZC12dWxuZXJhYmxlLXVuYWJsZS10by1wYXktYmFjay02MWstZmluZXMvODc1YTYxNDMtMWMxNC00ODJiLTllMTctZmVhYmRhMTMxM2Vm0gEA?oc=5

2023-07-13 07:39:46Z
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