No licence, still no jail

SERIAL OFFENDER: Driver walks free after 6th conviction

A REPEAT driving offender was given his final chance in a Geelong court yesterday after admitting driving without a licence for the sixth time.

Magistrate Gregory McNamara told Justin Dodds it was likely he would be sent to jail if he was caught driving again without his permit, and his lawyer, Ben von Einem, agreed.

“He knows he’s on his very last legs at the moment, and this pattern of offending has to stop,” Mr von Eneim said.

The court heard the man had committed his previous five offences between 2009 and 2014, and was then caught speeding on the Sunraysia Highway at Percydale on March 10 this year.

He was caught driving at 119km/h in a 100km/h zone in an unregistered vehicle while his licence was suspended, the court heard yesterday.

Mr von Einem said his client had been fined and had licence suspensions in the past, but had never been put on a community corrections order, and should be allowed that chance before jail was considered.

The court heard Dodds had recently moved to Clunes, was about to start a council job as an arborist in Ballarat, and had a young family to support.

Mr McNamara said the defendant “seems to overwhelmingly be a responsible person”, but had a bad record of ignoring licence suspensions.

He said any further offending would prove the man had “complete contempt” of he law.

“If it was me (as your magistrate) next time around . . . you really are looking at a jail term,” he said.

“If that doesn’t make you think nothing will.

“I hope that sinks through to you.”

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jacki Davis applied to have the man’s car impounded.

Mr McNamara considered that application, noting the temptation that would exist for the man to drive if he had his car at home, particularly with a new job to get to.

But he decided against the impoundment, instead urging Dodds to send the car elsewhere while his licence was suspended.

“I’d be giving it to someone who lives far, far away for the next 12 months,” he told the defendant.

Dodds was put on a community corrections order for the same period of time, and ordered to perform 150 hours of community work and complete a road trauma awareness program.