Shane Colin Turl cops unwanted early Christmas gift in fine and two-year driving disqualification

A 39-year-old has been handed an unwanted early Christmas gift by a Toowoomba court after committing a number of driving offences.

A 39-year-old Kingsthorpe man has been gifted an unwelcome Christmas present by Toowoomba Magistrates Court in the shape of a hefty fine and two-year driving disqualification.

Shane Colin Turl had failed to turn up to court on May 12 to answer driving offences but was found by police early Thursday and put in the watch-house.

After spending five hours in custody, he appeared via videolink to plead guilty to failing to appear in court as well as to six other offences.

Turl had been pulled over by police while driving on Bridge St, Oakey, about 3pm, January 30, police prosecutor Anita Page told the court.

Checks found his driver’s licence had been suspended a week earlier, the car he was driving was unregistered and uninsured and the number plates had been cancelled, she said.

Then, on March 1, Turl was again pulled by police, this time driving on Goombungee Road, Kingsthorpe, about 5.50am, February 28, the court heard.

Toowoomba Courthouse in Hume St.

Police checks found he had been disqualified from driving for six months on a drink-driving offence imposed by the same court on February 28, Ms Page said.

He had then failed to attend the police station within seven days to provide his identifying particulars, she said.

Duty solicitor Joe McConnell, of McConnell and Saldumbide Lawyers, told the court Turl had been a maintenance supervisor for six years but in November he had back surgery and was off work at the moment.

His client lived about 30 minutes from his workplace and when his usual lift fell through he had decided to drive, he said.

Turl had no criminal history and this was his first disqualified driving offence, Mr McConnell submitted.

Magistrate Louise Shephard ordered the conviction not be recorded on the failing to appear in court charge and fined Turl $1200 and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for the mandatory minimum period of two years for the driving while disqualified offence.

Originally published as Shane Colin Turl cops unwanted early Christmas gift in fine and two-year driving disqualification