’You were not born to drive’ Court blasts repeat offender

JONATHAN Ellings had his licence suspended more than 10 times before he drove while disqualified by a court order last year.

“Do you have any learning difficulties?” Southport Magistrate John Costanzo yesterday asked Ellings after a six-page traffic history featuring a raft of demerit point licence suspensions, largely for speeding, was tendered to the court.

When learning he was of sound mind, Mr Costanzo asked Ellings why he didn’t have the “intelligence” to learn from his mistakes.

“You may have noticed that I was surprised that you were 35 years of age and still have not learned,” Mr Costanzo continued.

The court heard in 2000, Ellings had driven while his licence had been suspended after speeding on the Gold Coast. He later lodged an appeal against the suspension, but the ban was upheld.

“... that would have taught you, you were not born to drive,” Mr Costanzo told the 35-year-old.

The Tallebudgera mechanic yesterday walked from Southport Magistrates Court court with a three-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to driving without a licence in December 2016 after being disqualified.

But not before the court heard he had also spent time behind bars in 2010 for dangerous driving, before being released on parole.

Yesterday’s jail sentence was suspended for two years and Ellings was disqualified from driving for two years.

“You don’t deserve to be on the road,” Mr Costanzo said.