Daniel Michael Gogacz: Manly Court sentences habitual disqualified Mount Pritchard driver

Daniel Michael Gogacz had just got out of jail for habitual disqualifed driving when he was back in Manly court for doing it again — three times in three weeks.

A Sydney driver who habitually got behind the wheel while his licence was disqualified — just months after getting out of prison for similar offences — has been jailed for nine months.

Daniel Michael Gogacz, 36, was caught driving his work ute three times without a licence in a three-week period, Manly Local Court heard on Thursday.

The 36-year-old carpenter from Mount Pritchard was spotted on one occasion by police as he ducked to his local Bunnings in the VW Amarok.

He also told police that he decided to drive to work because he couldn’t carry his heavy tools on public transport.

The Warringah Rd underpass at Frenchs Forest, the location of a collision between a ute driven by Daniel Michael Gogacz and another vehicle in November, 2021. Picture: Transport for NSW

During his disqualified driving spree, Gogacz was involved in one short police pursuit and crashed into another car without stopping at the scene of the collision.

The married father of three, with his wife supporting him in court, wept openly as Magistrate Robyn Denes told him he was going to jail for a minimum of three months,

Earlier the court was told that he had breached his parole on three occasions while he was disqualified until March 24, 2022.

He was on parole after being jailed for previous offences including two disqualified driving convictions. Gogacz was released from jail in June 2021.

At 10.55pm on November 26, he was driving in Cabramatta West when police tried to pull him over for a random breath test. He accelerated away, reaching speeds of up to 96km/h in a 60km/h zones and drove on the wrong side of the road before police called off the chase.

Daniel Michael Gogacz was sentecned to nine months jail in Manly Local Court on Thursday. AAP IMAGE / MONIQUE HARMER

He was later questioned at his home, but said the car was “probably stolen” by a woman named “Shardey” who he had left the keys with.

On November 10 he was stopped by police when they saw him make an illegal left hand turn from Awaba St into Spit Rd at Mosman at 3.28pm. He could not produce a licence.

The court was also told that at 4pm on November 3 Gogacz’s ute sideswiped and damaged another vehicle during a lane merge on Warringah Rd at Frenchs Forest. He did not stop and exchange particulars.

Magistrate Denes said his terrible driving record meant she had no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.

“I don’t think you appreciate the serious nature of what you're doing,” she told Gogacz.

“(They were) selfish and irresponsible decisions based on your needs.”

Gogacz was convicted and sentenced to nine months in jail with a three-month non-parole period. He was also disqualified from driving, again for another 12 months.