James Papadopoulos sentenced for driving while disqualified in Riverwood

A soon-to-be father has been warned that if he comes back before the court for a driving offence, he will go to jail due to his appalling traffic history.

James Papadopoulos, 22, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A recovering drug addict has been warned that if comes back before the court for a driving offence, he is looking at jail given his appalling traffic history.

James Nicholas Papadopoulos, 22, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Papadopoulos was driving a black Nissan station wagon on Belmore Rd, Riverwood on September 20 last year.

Police officers were driving nearby and recognised Papadopoulos, who lives in Lugarno with his mother, driving the car.

Police did a U-turn and Papadopoulos sped off, however the officers were able to keep up with him.

Papadopoulos turned into another street and, while the car was coming to a stop, he jumped out the vehicle in front of police.

Police confirmed he was disqualified and he returned a positive drug test to meth before he was arrested and charged.

James Nicholas Papadopoulos was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court.

Papadopoulos’s defence lawyer Ahmed Dib told the court his client has a “traumatic upbringing” and coped by using drugs.

Mr Dib said his mother, who was a schoolteacher, and grandfather had a difficult time raising him because of his diagnosed PTSD, bipolar, and ADHD.

Mr Dib said Papadopoulos’ criminal history showed he was “clearly a drug addict” who made decisions that were about getting more or using drugs.

He noted his client, who was unemployed, had participated in a four-month drug rehabilitation program where he had not missed any sessions with his counsellor and indicted he wanted to “change”.

The court also heard Papadopoulos was becoming a father for the first time and was addressing his diagnoses.

Magistrate Philip Stewart noted Papadopoulos had a series of charges for driving while disqualified and driving with an illicit drug present.

He also noted he had previously breached bail and court sentences.

Mr Stewart accepted Papadopoulos was remorseful and acknowledged the rehabilitation steps he had taken.

“If you drive now you will probably go to jail,” he said to Papadopoulos. “If you come back before the court for driving offences then you will likely not leave the court the way you entered.”

Papadopoulos was sentenced to a 12-month community correction order, fined $1000 and was disqualified for 12 months.

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Originally published as James Papadopoulos sentenced for driving while disqualified in Riverwood