A MAN who was caught driving despite not holding a licence since the 1990s has faced Mount Gambier Magistrate’s Court, where he received a suspended jail sentence and was banned form driving for three years.
The prosecution said police stopped a vehicle at 1.30pm on March 13 after automatic number plate recognition detected it was registered to a driver who had previously been disqualified from driving in 2016.
Peter James O’Dine, 50, who had to recommence his licence on a learner’s permit due to the serious nature of the 2016 offence, told police he was unaware of the condition.
Magistrate Teresa Anderson, who originally sentenced O’Dine, did not accept the defendant’s claim.
“I would have told you when I sentenced you that you would not be able to drive again until you got a new licence,” Magistrate Anderson said.
“That it what I tell everyone committed of a driving disqualified offence.
“I can play it back.
“Do you want me to go and listen and see if I did?
“Why did you ignore that warning?”
O’Dine said he suffered memory loss due to a work accident.
“I was heading to the hospital for a check up,” he said.
“I have to go there every month or so.”
The court heard O’Dine had a history of driving offences stemming back to 1991, when he was involved in a near fatality.
In sentencing, Magistrate Anderson said O’Dine’s memory loss did not cause the offending.
O’Dine was sentenced to five weeks imprisonment, which was suspended upon entering a three year good behaviour bond.
He was also disqualified from driving for three years.
“If you hop into a car and drive in the next three years, you will just about definitely be going to jail,” Magistrate Anderson said.
