Adam Fawcett, 26, of Palm Beach: Caught driving without a licence five times in less than three years

A “selfish and irresponsible” northern beaches tradie has been convicted of driving without a licence, five times in less than three years. See what the court did with him

Adam Fawcett, an apprentice electrician on the northern beaches, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where he was jailed for 10 months for being caught driving without a licence. It was the fifth time he had been caught in the last three years. Picture: Manly Daily

A northern beaches apprentice tradie, who can’t resist the temptation to get behind the wheel, has been caught driving without a licence five times in less than three years.

In Manly Local Court on Wednesday, Adam Ross Fawcett, 26, of Palm Beach, was jailed for 10 months for constantly defying court orders to stay off the road.

The court was told that the P-plater was caught driving while disqualified at 7.40am on May 30.

Police had pulled him over, in a Toyota Hiace van, for a random breath test on Warriewood Rd, Warriewood.

When asked to produce his licence, the trainee electrician replied: “It’s disqualified”.

Police than asked why he was driving. Fawcett said: “I’m running late for work”.

Adam Fawcett, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Manly Daily

Magistrate Robyn Denes chided the tradie, calling him selfish and irresponsible for consistently driving while his licence was either disqualified or cancelled.

Fawcett’s traffic record, tendered to court, showed that he had been convicted on April 12 this year of driving while his licence was cancelled for having too many demerit points.

On February 2, he was convicted of driving while disqualified.

He was also convicted of driving while disqualified on July 19, 2021 and on May 3, 2021.

Fawcett was also convicted of mid range drink driving in September 2020.

His solicitor told the court that his client “for convenience, gets behind the wheel when he shouldn’t”.

“I have explained to Mr Fawcett that this is a case where people like him, end up in jail,” the solicitor said.

“It’s a dangerous thing to do.”

Magistrate Denes told Fawcett that he only had two months to serve on his latest licence cancellation when he decided to drive again on May 30.

Adam Fawcett will be back in Manly Local Court against next month to see if he will receive home detention. (AAP IMAGE / MONIQUE HARMER)

“This has got everything to do with you being selfish and irresponsible … you being late for work.” she said.

“I just think that you didn’t think you'd get caught.”

Ms Denes also told Fawcett that she suspected that this was not the only time he made the decision to drive without a licence.

She convicted Fawcett and told him that he would be jailed for 10 months.

But she adjourned the final sentencing for a month to allow him to be assessed for possible home detention instead of going behind bars.