38-year-old Maryborough man has been warned he could serve time behind bars after he was caught driving unlicensed in May, offending which saw him imprisoned in 2015.
The accused fronted the Maryborough Magistrates’ Court last week where he pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to stop at a stop sign and another relating to unlicensed driving.
The court heard that on May 8 this year, the accused was observed at the intersection of Balaclava and Gladstone streets where he failed to stop at around 8.45 am.
Police intercepted the accused who was unable to produce a driver’s licence and stated he did not have one.
Representing himself in court, the accused acknowledged he treated the stop sign as a give way sign on the morning in question.
The accused told the court his reason for driving was to take his children to school and after being questioned in court, revealed he had driven his children to school on previous occasions and was not caught.
It was revealed to the court the accused lost his licence in 2015 due to stolen vehicle and traffic related matters and served a term of imprisonment.
Magistrate Ross Maxted re-marked the accused had a lengthy criminal record, with pages filled with driving offences.
“You owe a duty to the public not to be on the road due to your significantly troubling driving history,” he said.
“You more than anyone understand that unlicensed driving carries with it a sentence of imprisonment and you still ran that risk.”
Magistrate Maxted told the accused to seek legal representation as the offending was serious, standing the matter down until later in the day.
When the matter returned, the accused’s defence lawyer asked the court for an adjournment, acknowledging the extensive prior history of the accused.
It was also revealed in court the accused had a 10-year ice addiction prior to imprisonment.
The matter was adjourned to August 16 at the Maryborough Magistrates’ Court, with the accused to undergo assessment for a Community Corrections Order before the matter returns.
