Jonathan Andonakis jailed for disqualified driving, speeding in St George

A drug addict has been jailed after driving while unlicensed on multiple occasions bringing his total number of traffic offences – including killing a man in a car crash – to more than 70 across two states.

Jonathan Andonakis, 49, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court after pleading guilty to six counts of driving while disqualified, three counts of driving with an illicit drug in oral fluid and two counts of speeding. Picture: Facebook

A former businessman-turned-drug addict has been jailed for two years after driving while unlicensed multiple times bringing his total number of traffic offences – including killing a man in a car crash – to more than 70 across two states.

Jonathan Andonakis, 49, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court after pleading guilty to six counts of driving while disqualified, three counts of driving with an illicit drug in oral fluid and two counts of speeding.

Agreed facts state Andonakis was stopped by police for random breath testing on May 28 last year while driving at Brighton Le Sands when his Queensland licence was revealed to be disqualified, as was his NSW licence until July 2024. He also tested positive to methylamphetamine.

On July 26, Andonakis was detected speeding above 20km/h above the limit on the M1 Motorway at Berkeley before he told officers he had reapplied for a Queensland licence and his disqualification period had been quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

In August he was stopped twice, five days apart, in Banksia and Bexley and claimed he had documents proving he was not disqualified.

Jonathan Andonakis was jailed for multiple driving offences in Sutherland Local Court.

Andonakis was caught driving 105km/h in an 80km/h zone at Sutherland in November and he tested positive for meth in his fluid and on March 11 he drove 134km/h in a 100km/h in Heathcote; both times making the same claims about his disqualification.

Magistrate Philip Stewart said despite what Andonakis may have thought, he was disqualified from driving from July 2021 to July 2024 in NSW, and did not matter if he had a Queensland licence.

“The offender’s stated belief his disqualification was quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal is factually and legally incorrect,” he said. “I do not accept that the offender honestly believed that he was entitled to drive on any of the dates for which the offender committed offences.”

Andonakis has an extensive criminal and traffic record in Queensland and NSW from 1991 to 2017; with more than 60 offences including 20 offences of speeding.

He was imprisoned for three years and eight months and disqualified from driving for six years after he killed a man while driving dangerously, disqualified and with high levels of ice in his blood in 2016 near Coffs Harbour.

Andonakis, who worked as a project manager in the construction industry, was also on parole when he committed all 2022 offences and was on bail from November, with Mr Stewart noting Andonakis did not seek clarity around his disqualification.

The court heard Andonakis reported his driving offences were all linked to drug use, which started at the age of 24, because he was “careless and stupid” and felt “invincible” when on ice.

“My actions were dumb. It was exactly what I did last time and it was quite easily could have happened again. I could have killed someone,” Andonakis said. “I knew I couldn’t drive.”

A previous psychological report said Andonakis had “narcissistic features”, which resulted in his strong sense of entitlement, grandiosity, and belief that rules don’t apply to him in the same way they do to others.

Mr Stewart said Andonakis had shown no remorse, did not have good prospects of rehabilitation and was likely to reoffend.

Mr Stewart determined only a period of full-time imprisonment was appropriate given Andonakis’ traffic record, frequency of committing traffic offences, “flagrant disregard” for the law and risk-taking behaviour when driving including speeding and using drugs.

“The need to protect the community from this offender is very significant,” he said.

Andonakis was convicted of all counts, sentenced to two years and eight months jail with a non-parole period of two years backdated to March. Andonakis will be disqualified from driving until March 2028.