Former Home and Away Child Star Disqualified from Driving After Meth Scandal

Troubled Home and Away star Felix Dean has been disqualified from driving after losing control of his car while he was under the influence of meth.

Dean, 27, was just ten when he got his big break on Home and Away, acting alongside Ada Nicodemou as her on-screen son VJ Patterson from 2007 to 2014 on the long-running soap.

However, the former child star’s life has taken a turn for the worse and he has endured a public battle with drugs that has seen him in and out of jail.

Dean attracted the attention of police in April last year when he was seen driving erratically, reports News Corp.

It’s alleged that the former actor was seen ‘breaking harshly’ before losing control of his Toyota Hilux Ute, sliding onto a median strip in Matraville in Sydney’s east.

According to the publication, drivers traveling in the opposite direction were forced to swerve to avoid a collision with Dean.

Court documents state that after being stopped by police, Dean was ‘exhibiting highly anxious behaviour’ his pupils were enlarged and he was fidgeting.

He was then given a roadside drug test which returned a positive result for methamphetamine.

Dean, who is currently being held in custody for a separate matter, appeared in Waverley Local Court on Tuesday via audiovisual link.

According to News Corp, magistrate Rodney Dean noted it was the actor’s ‘first offence of this type’ and one he had committed while on parole for other matters, including intimidation.

The actor’s lawyer asked for a reduction in the standard disqualification period of six months.

‘He has previously proven he’s able to comply with the road rules in NSW,’ Dean’s lawyer said.

‘Unfortunately he had been using methamphetamine and is now facing the consequences of this.’

The magistrate disqualified Dean from driving for four months and issued a $250 fine

It’s alleged that the former actor was seen ‘breaking harshly’ before losing control of his Toyota Hilux Ute, sliding onto a median strip in Matraville in Sydney ‘s east

The setback comes after a tumultuous couple of years for the former actor, who has been in and out of jail for the past four years.

Back in October, Dean slammed the ‘unjust’ perception that he’s just ‘just another child star’ who has ‘lost the plot on drugs’ after he was charged with assault.

Police alleged he assaulted his housemate on the morning of August 1 at his apartment in Botany Bay in an attack that drew blood.

He faced the NSW Supreme Court in October to apply for bail after spending just under three months behind bars on remand.

Representing himself, the former actor argued against the idea that he was just another casualty of toxic childhood fame after he got his big break in Home and Away at age 10.

‘It appears to everyone else… that I’m just another child star who has hit the drugs and life just carked it and I’m impulsive and a danger to the community,’ he said.

‘That is far from the truth.’

In a 30-minute address to the court about his conditions, Dean revealed he has been to jail five times but maintained ‘no one has ever been physically hurt’ by his offending.

‘Clearly, your honour, drugs aren’t the problem. Drugs are a solution,’ he said.

‘Sometimes they’ve helped me and they’ve probably helped me in my criminal matters because I haven’t had the full capacity in my right mind of being stressed and angry to hurt anyone.’

Dean achieved national fame at the age of 10 when he was cast in Home and Away as ‘VJ’, the on-screen son of Leah Patterson, played by longstanding cast member Ada Nicodemou.

He starred on the iconic soap for three years, and earned nominations for Best Young Actor at the 2008 and 2009 Inside Soap Awards for his work.

Troubled Home and Away star Felix Dean has been disqualified from driving after losing control of his car while he was under the influence of meth. Dean, 27, was just ten when he got his big break on Home and Away, acting alongside Ada Nicodemou as her on-screen son VJ Patterson from 2007 to 2014 on the long-running…