Masturbating driver fined for bizarre pleasure cruise

An Australian man who filmed himself masturbating while driving at 150km/h on the Stuart Highway has been fined more than $2000 and sentenced to two months' jail.

Brenton Alan Erhardt, 39, appeared in custody before magistrate Sue Oliver to answer the traffic, firearms and drug offences.

Erhardt pleaded guilty to the six charges, which happened in circumstances Ms Oliver described as "bizarre to say the least".



The court heard Erhardt had been travelling south along the Stuart Highway, had been smoking cannabis while driving and was filming himself masturbating with a video camera in July last year.

Police measured his speed at 137 km/h, but the court heard he had been driving at up to 150km/h. He had two pipes for smoking cannabis in the car, as well as an unlicensed .22 calibre rifle. Police also found 4.9kg of marijuana in Erhardt's car.

Ms Oliver said the offence did not reflect Erhardt's age. "You're not a particularly young man," she said. "This is the sort of conduct you might expect of a much younger, immature person to engage in."