Sachin Sidhu from Woolgoolga in Coffs Harbour court for dangerous driving charge

A Mid-North Coast man who works on his family farm panicked when he saw police, fearful his parents would find out he’d been with his girlfriend, his lawyer told the court. But the magistrate found it “difficult to understand”.

Coffs Harbour courthouse

A Woolgoolga man who works on his family farm panicked when he saw police, fearful his parents would find out that he’d been with his girlfriend, his lawyer told the court. But the magistrate found it “difficult to understand”.

Sachin Sidhu appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to driving recklessly and furiously or speeding in a manner deemed dangerous.

Sidhu’s lawyer Hugo Schleiger told Magistrate Theresa Hamilton the 23-year-old worked on his family’s blueberry and cucumber farm.

His father was in court to support him.

He needed his licence to pick up several workers and take them to the farm each day and deliver produce to various suppliers – something his father cannot do as he has been restricted to an interlock licence which can’t be attached to their work vehicle, Mr Schleiger added.

Sachin Sidhu leaves Coffs Harbour Local Court on July 22, 2025.

When Sidhu saw the police late on May 1 this year he panicked because he had been out visiting his girlfriend without his parents’ consent and he knew they would be upset, Mr Schleiger said.

Sidhu presented himself to the police the next day and later pleaded guilty, something Ms Hamilton was urged to take into consideration when sentencing.

But Ms Hamilton said she found it “difficult to understand” why Sidhu had “sped away” from the police doing u-turns and losing traction.

He showed “such bad judgement and indulged in dangerous driving” and that “this went on for some time even when the police had indicated for him to stop but they just had to let him go” as it was not safe to pursue him.

Ms Hamilton also said he had been given a demerit suspension which had been varied by the court in May 2023.

She convicted him of the offence, fined him $600 and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

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Originally published as Sachin Sidhu from Woolgoolga in Coffs Harbour court for dangerous driving charge