Darren Evans, 61: Collaroy brickie jailed for 14th drive while disqualified conviction
A northern beaches brickie has been sentenced after he was caught driving — for the 14th time — while banned from the road until 2037.
A northern beaches bricklayer who was convicted for the 14th time of driving a car while his licence was disqualified has been jailed.
Darren Paul Evans, of Collaroy, will spend three months behind bars for getting behind the wheel of his mum’s hatchback.
Prior to his latest arrest in June, Evans, 61, was banned from the road until 2037.
After his appearance in Manly Local Court on Thursday, it will be the seventh time that the tradie has been locked up for driving while disqualified. He had pleaded guilty to one count of driving while disqualified.
His 80-year-old mother was in court to see him led away by police after his conviction.
Evan’s lawyer told Magistrate Daniel Reiss that her client had been “overwhelmed” by circumstances and that he may have underlying, undiagnosed, mental health issues.
He was also a former drug user, the court heard.
The court was told that Evans was driving to a local shopping centre to buy medication for his mother when he came under the notice of patrolling police and was pulled over on Pittwater Rd, Collaroy.
When asked to produce his licence, he replied: “I don’t have one … I’m disqualified”.
A police check of his record revealed that he was meant to be off the road until 2037 and that his first drive while disqualified conviction occurred in 2002.
Evans also had a previous conviction for driving while unlicensed in 2000.
In his letter of apology tendered to the court, Evans wrote that he had been “considerably overwhelmed with guilt and self-loathing” for repeating his offending.
“I am truly sorry … for burdening the court and community with my unlawful and repetitive behaviour.”
Mr Reiss told Evans that he had taken a gamble to drive and not get caught and had a “total disregard” for orders of the court
“It’s hard to imagine it was an isolated event,” the magistrate said.
“You could have walked (to the shops)”.
Evans will be released on December 24.
