Gold Coast motorbike rider caught driving on permanent ban tells magistrate he is unlicensed

A motorbike rider who was stopped by police in Helensvale told a magistrate he had not held a licence since the 1980s.

Mark Patrick Thompson leaving the Southport courthouse.

A motorbike rider caught driving under an “absolute” disqualification told a magistrate he had not held a licence since the 1980s.

Mark Patrick Thompson, 51, was disqualified from driving for another two years after he pleaded guilty to five charges in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The charges included disqualified driving as a repeat offender, driving unregistered and uninsured and drink driving.

Prosecutor Qin Lee told the court police had observed Thompson riding a motorcycle on Town Centre Dr, Helensvale, on November 12 last year.

The Southport Courthouse. Picture: Jerad Williams

She said the offences he was charged with were discovered by police when they conducted checks on the motorcycle.

Police also conducted a roadside breath test and a secondary test, which returned a blood alcohol concentration reading of 0.025.

The self-represented 51-year-old told acting magistrate Pamela Dowse he was trying to sell his motorcycle when he was stopped by police.

Thompson said he had not held a driver’s licence since the 1980s.

“I haven’t been able to get a licence since then,” Thompson said.

“The last time I was at court in Beenleigh the magistrate told me to get my licence back.”

Mark Patrick Thompson leaving the Southport courthouse.

The Greenbank man said he had attempted to do so, but found the process “hard”.

The court was told Thompson had received an absolute disqualification, which can be ordered by a court to permanently ban someone from driving.

Magistrate Dowse told the 51-year-old he could apply to the Department of Transport to remove the absolute disqualification order after two years.

She sentenced Thompson to a further disqualification of two years and three months for the five offences from November 12.