Ahren Stringer faced court this week on multiple driving-related charges. 

The former bassist and vocalist of The Amity Affliction was previously reported to have been involved in a high-speed driving incident, understood to be around 190km/h. As reported by Blunt, Stringer appeared in Benalla Magistrates’ Court this week; a plea is yet to be put forward.

Court records reportedly show that the musician has been charged with:

  • Drive at a speed dangerous
  • Exceed speed limit by 45 km/h or more
  • Refuse preliminary breath test
  • Refuse to undergo preliminary oral fluid test
  • Use vehicle not in a safe or roadworthy condition

The matter has been adjourned to May 26th.

Stringer’s exit from The Amity Affliction in 2025 was quickly followed by a trademark dispute. Documents published by IP Australia, the federal government agency that administers intellectual property rights and legislation for patents, trademarks, and design rights, revealed both parties are engaged in a battle over the band’s name and its use across recordings and related materials.

According to the filings, Stringer submitted separate trademark applications for “The Amity Affliction” and “Amity Affliction” under Class 41 (covering music production, publishing, and entertainment services) and Class 9 (covering audio recordings).

Despite the public split, a recent report suggested Stringer remains financially tied to the band. Corporate filings showed the company behind The Amity Affliction entered a formal restructuring process last year to manage nearly $650,000 in debt, leaving Stringer as both a co-owner and director. The majority of the reported $646,000 debt is owed to the Australian Taxation Office, with a repayment plan of approximately $512,000 scheduled over three years.

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Following his departure, Stringer launched Self Checkout, though the project was interrupted when he was hospitalised in September 2025 due to what the group described as a “serious and unexpected emergency”.

The matter comes as The Amity Affliction today celebrate the release of their new album, House of Cards, the first with new bassist and clean vocalist, Jonny, Reeves, since Stringer’s departure.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, frontman Joel Birch said The Amity Affliction are focused on the future.

“I think that me and Dan [Brown] were on the same page for this one where we just wanted to do what people love about the band,” Birch said. “And I mean, that’s just screaming and a big chorus. It’s what we’ve done forever. We just wanted to make sure they were good ones… It’s the first [time] I’ve ever enjoyed recording. Ever.”