Long Jetty: Ronald Godbold ’shouldn’t have been driving’ before police pursuit

A disqualified driver, who led police on a pursuit before crashing into another car, was fresh out of jail for similar offences and told a court he drove even though his girlfriend “could have walked”.

Ronald Godbold had been out of jail on parole for just 10 days after serving a year and five months for various offences including driving while disqualified and failing to stop during a police pursuit.

The 30-year-old from Killarney Vale knew his Learner’s licence was disqualified but was optimistic about the future given it was Friday and he had a job lined up in Sydney “on Monday”.

He also knew his girlfriend could have walked the short distance home but he decided to get behind the wheel anyway.

Godbold faced Gosford District Court on Thursday where he appealed the severity of his three years and six month jail sentence imposed in the Local Court last month.

Ronald Godbold, 30, of Killarney Vale, appealed his sentence after leading police on a pursuit through Long Jetty, driving while disqualified and resisting police. Picture: Facebook.

The court heard Godbold had been released on parole on January 25 when he was recognised by police driving a Nissan X-trail on Tuggerah Parade, Long Jetty, about 11am on February 4.

Police performed a U-turn to pull him over but Godbold turned left into Surf St and accelerated away.

An agreed set of facts state police initiated a pursuit which ended a short time later when Godbold ploughed into another car at the intersection of Watkins and Pacific streets.

He jumped out of the driver’s side window but was tackled to the ground yelling “I’m not going back to jail”.

The female driver of the other car, 24, was taken to John Hunter Hospital with a suspected broken collar bone.

Godbold was sentenced in Wyong Local Court but appealed the severity. (File image)

Godbold pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, leading police on a pursuit and resisting police.

Giving evidence at his appeal, Godbold told the court he was about to start a job on Monday but “got pinched on Friday”.

“I just got out of custody and I shouldn’t have been driving in the first place,” he said.

Asked in cross examination where he was going Godbold told the court he was dropping his girlfriend home but conceded “she could have walked” the short distance.

The court heard Godbold was in discussions with the NDIS about assistance he could be eligible for upon his release.

Judge Tanya Bright said she accepted there were additional “special circumstances” and that the indicative term of his imprisonment for the police pursuit offence “exceeded the jurisdictional limit” of the Local Court.

She upheld the appeal and reduced his total sentence from three years and six months, with a non-parole period of two years and two months, to a total of two years and one year non-parole.