Dunedin District Court

‘‘ANY further conviction for disqualified driving and I can almost guarantee you’ll spend some time in prison,’’ Judge Dominic Flatley told a 20yearold man in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

Jonathan Owen David Atfield, trainee crane operator, was for sentence on his third conviction for disqualified driving.

He had admitted the December 13 offence.

Disqualified from driving for 10 months on November 24, Atfield was working as a delivery driver when he was stopped by police in Hanover St, about 9.30am.

He admitted being disqualified but said he had received notification from his lawyer stating he had received his work limited driver’s licence allowing him to drive legally, the court heard.

Counsel Nathan Laws said the circumstances were unusual. Atfield was working as a courier driver before being disqualified.

‘‘Rather than ’fessing up to his boss, he continued to work.’’

There was no accident, injury or driving error. Rather, a constable driving past recognised him as a disqualified driver.

Atfield was instantly dismissed. But he obtained new employment within a few weeks and now worked a night shift, Mr Laws said.

‘‘You were well aware you were disqualified. And you didn’t want to lose your job. How you put those two things together, I don’t know,’’ the judge told Atfield.

Atfield’s two previous relevant convictions were in 2016 and last year, the judge noted.

Atfield was sentenced to five months’ community detention (curfewed 6am3.30pm daily), and disqualified from driving for 13 months from September 23 when his current ban ends.

Taken into account in the length of the term of community detention were cancellation of his outstanding community work (175 hours) and remission of his unpaid fines ($3806).