Edelsten avoids penalty in Vic court

Businessman and socialite Geoffrey Edelsten has escaped penalty after being nabbed by police driving through Melbourne in an unregistered car.

The 76-year-old appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

His lawyer explained VicRoads had Edelsten's South Yarra address recorded incorrectly, so he hadn't received notification his registration was expiring.

The court was told Edelsten was driving through Melbourne's CBD on October 19 last year at 4.56am, when he drove through a yellow light, prompting police to check the vehicle's registration.

After Edelsten was stopped by police, he attended VicRoads and immediately registered the car, the court heard.

Judicial registrar Angela Soldani said she took into account that VicRoads had the wrong address and Edelsten had rectified the situation.

However, she said drivers shouldn't abrogate their responsibility.

"Being an owner of a vehicle, it is our responsibility to have some idea when our vehicles are due for registration," she said.