Unlicensed driver nabbed on way to court

A MAN caught driving without a licence on the morning he was to appear in court on unlicensed driving charges has narrowly escaped jail time.

Harley McKinnon, 25, pleaded guilty to seven charges in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday, three of them for unlicensed driving.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Peter Beard told the court the Geelong man was not licensed when he failed to give way and caused a serious car accident on November 12 last year.

“Both cars had moderate damage. The other driver was conveyed by ambulance to Geelong hospital and released the following day,” he said.

The court heard McKinnon had been living out of his car but was making some progress on his current community corrections order.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie said the fact that McKinnon had illegally driven the morning he was meant to face court was a snub “at the courts, at police and at VicRoads”.

She cancelled McKinnon’s licence for another 12 months but deferred his sentence until October.

“If you continue to do well on your order and you don’t reoffend further I will consider a further corrections order,” she said. “But if you reoffend, though, or fail to perform on the order you’re currently on I will consider a term of imprisonment. I will be seeking a progress report.”

McKinnon will appear before the court for sentencing on October 11.