Ipswich dad Nicholas Geier sentenced for driving while unlicensed

A young Ipswich dad has found himself in court and owing $20,000 in car damages after he was caught driving while unlicensed three times in three months.

A young dad has faced sentence in an Ipswich court after he was caught driving while unlicensed three times in three months; one time driving “up the back” of another car and causing $20,000 worth of damages.

Brassall man Nicholas Geier, 20, appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Tuesday June 14 on five driving charges including counts of driving while unlicensed, one count of driving without due care and attention, and one count of driving while unlicensed and over the no alcohol limit.

The court heard one of the driving while unlicensed offences and the driving without due care or attention offence occurred on February 25 this year on the Capricorn Hwy at Emerald, while the second driving while unlicensed offence and the driving while unlicensed and over the no alcohol limit offence took place on March 11 on Bendee Cres at Blackwater.

The third driving while unlicensed offence took place on April 27 along Hunter St at Brassall.

He pleaded guilty to all five charges.

The two offences from February 25 related to an incident where his car, which had passengers in it, ran up the back of another car with two adults and a baby inside.

Police officers who were responding to another crash on the Capricorn Hwy attended to the crash Geier was involved in. The 20-year-old explained he was unlicensed and that he may have fallen asleep while driving.

On March 11, Geier was pulled over by police about 3.30pm and blew an alcohol reading of 0.047.

The final offence before the court on Tuesday took place at Brassall when he was intercepted by police. The officers discovered his licence was demerit point suspended and he was charged with a third count of driving while unlicensed.

He was 19 years old when he committed each offence.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull told the court deterrence and rehabilitation “loomed large” for young Geier and he would likely benefit from a period of probation.

He said it was important he understood having a driver’s licence was not a right but a privilege.

The young dad-of-one did not have legal representation and told Magistrate Robert Walker that he was “very remorseful” over his mistakes, which he continued to make “over and over again”.

Geier said he did not have a drinking problem and had always worked; his actions were simply the result of “constant bad decision making”.

The 20-year-old is currently employed in meat works at Carole Park.

“I’m fully aware and I know that I should not be making any more stupid decisions and going for a drive when I feel like I need to,” Geier said.

“This (has been) a massive realisation.”

The young man said he was $20,000 in debt to the owner of a car he was driving which was “destroyed” in a crash.

Magistrate Robert Walker said he recognised there were “significant safety issues” with each offence before the court, particularly as they all involved passengers.

He also took into account Geier’s parental and family responsibilities, his work record, and the remorse he demonstrated when deciding an appropriate penalty.

“You present as someone who wants to take your responsibilities seriously. At this stage, you’re not quite doing that,” Mr Walker told Geier.

Mr Walker sentenced Geier to 12 months’ probation and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for a period of six months for each driving while unlicensed offence and another three months for driving while over the no alcohol limit.

A conviction was recorded for each offence.