No rego, no licence, big woes

A DRIVER was rendered unconscious when an unlicensed motorist ran a red light and smashed into her car at a busy Geelong intersection, a court heard yesterday.

Norlane man Kyle Jensen, 25, caused the crash at the junction of Yarra and Ryrie streets on April 1.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court was told his learner’s driving permit was expired at the time, his vehicle was unregistered and had stick-on letterbox figures in place of numberplates.

Jensen pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to stop at the red light and other driving offences, telling the court he regretted his actions and the injuries caused to the woman and his passenger.

“I live with that every single day,” he said.

The court heard Jensen told police he became distracted talking to his passenger and ran the red light.

Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Siobhan Daly told the court the accused produced a handwritten receipt on a scrap of paper as evidence he had bought the car only three days earlier.

Jensen added that he was excited about getting the car and decided to go out in it with friends.

But magistrate Michael Coghlan pointed out there were several reasons the man should not have been driving that day.

Mr Coghlan gave Jensen a $2000 fine, and ruled him ineligible to drive for three months.

Jensen told him he had debts from the damage caused to both cars, but the magistrate said he must start paying the fine, otherwise jail beckoned.

“Eventually the sheriff will catch up with you and say, ‘the money or the body’,” he told the defendant.