Daniel Sean Patrick Linnett: Trangie man disqualified from driving for the third time in 2022

A Trangie sheep shearer caught driving disqualified after separate drug and drink driving offences has learnt his fate in court. Here’s what happened.

Daniel Linnett appeared in Narromine Local Court on Tuesday.

A Trangie sheep shearer has faced the wrath of a magistrate after being caught driving while disqualified, months after being convicted for drug driving and drink driving.

Daniel Sean Patrick Linnett, 31, appeared in Narromine Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified – second offence.

According to an agreed set of facts tendered to court, Linnett was driving his black Jeep Wrangler on Dandaloo St in Trangie on September 22 when he was stopped by police for a random breath test.

After being asked to produce his licence, Linnett got out of the car and started “patting his pockets” before saying “I haven’t got it with me”.

When asked whether he actually had a licence, the 31-year-old replied “yeah”.

Linnett appeared before Narromine Local Court. Picture: Ryan Young

Linnett provided officers with his personal details and returned a negative result to a random breath test.

Further police checks found Linnett’s licence to be disqualified, and he told police “he knew” but said “I thought I got it back”.

In court on Tuesday, Linnett represented himself in front of Magistrate Stephen Barlow who noted the sheep shearer had completed the traffic offender’s program.

It was revealed Linnett had been convicted and disqualified twice this year, firstly at Gilgandra Local Court on February 18 for mid-range drink driving and on April 27 in Wagga Wagga Local Court for drug driving.

Linnett said he “didn’t see the paperwork for the Wagga” matter and thought he was okay to drive.

After the court heard about Linnett’s injury, he said he was “just about to start back at work” as a sheep shearer but “probably won’t be able to” given he expected to be off the road for some time.

“You’re starting to get into this world of pain … driving charges [are] accumulating,” Magistrate Barlow said.

“The whole system operates in this way, we need to keep people safe on the road … so the court [has] to have a way of keeping people off the road when they shouldn’t be on the road [and] when they disobey road rules.

Linnett was stopped for a random breath test in September.

“The only way we can keep that category of people on the road … is to disqualify them … there is another tool … that’s to put the person who drives disqualified in prison … that’s when we know people can be safe.

“This year you’ve had drug driving, drink driving and drive while disqualified … the trifecta.”

Magistrate Barlow sent a warning to Linnett if he decides to drive while disqualified again.

“You’re not a first offender and the way it works … is about the third time [someone] drives disqualified they get put in prison,” Magistrate Barlow said.

“Only in the last year or two things have spiralled out of control [for you].”

Linnett was convicted and fined $250 along with being disqualified from driving for six months.

Magistrate Barlow said he is required to fit an interlock device to his car once he is allowed back behind the wheel.