Driving without a licence ten times

A repeat offender hasn’t made a payment on his total $11K SPER debt since 2012. Now he’s spending time behind bars.

Arrested man in handcuffs with handcuffed hands behind back Picture: Istock

James Gerald William Doyle kissed his weeping partner goodbye as he was escorted out of the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on May 26 to spend two weeks in custody.

He was charged with three counts of failing to appear before the count between January and May this year, after he was apprehended driving without a licence in November last year.

The court heard that Doyle drove his mother-in-law’s red Mazda, without her consent, despite never having held a driver’s licence; he had another 10 such offences on his traffic history.

He later said he was driving his partner of 20 years to the hospital because she had fever and pain associated with a tooth abscess, but he didn’t tell that to police at the time.

Magistrate Schubert said Doyle had an “appalling” six-page history of traffic and criminal offences, including drug possession and assault.

He described Doyle’s reason for driving without a licence as “complete hogwash”.

When asked why he had failed to show in court on three prior occasions, Doyle said he had forgotten one date and, on another, had been with his sick mother in Townsville.

The court heard Doyle had an outstanding $11,000 worth of court-related SPER debt which he had not make a payment toward since 2012.

Mr Schubert said he was not prepared to suspend the whole three-month conviction for “driving when you want to”.

He sentenced Doyle to serve two weeks in jail and warned he would face a 4.5 year term if he offended again during the 12-month probation period.

Doyle swore loudly as he was escorted out of the court.

Originally published as Driving without a licence ten times