Melbourne landscaper Ferhat Tekin in Broadmeadows court for driving while disqualified

A young Melbourne landscaper who defied court orders by driving while disqualified has been told jail is on the cards for him.

Ferhat Tekin, 24, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

A Melbourne landscaper has been warned he could be jailed the next time he jumps behind the wheel disqualified after he was busted on his way to his girlfriend’s place

Ferhat Tekin, 24, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

In December last year, police caught Tekin driving his Holden Commodore despite a magistrate having disqualified his licence months earlier.

When questioned, Tekin told police he was going to see his girlfriend before his Commodore was impounded.

Tekin’s defence lawyer, Younis Yehia, told the court on Wednesday that his client was not “shying away from the shame and embarrassment” that came from his offending.

“He’s remorseful. This was an incident where there were no contributing factors to his offending like drugs or alcohol,” he said.

The court heard Tekin studied at Lakeview Secondary School before he started working at his father’s landscaping business in 2017.

Mr Yehia asked the court to impose a monetary penalty on his client and consider not imposing further conditions on his driver’s licence.

“His position requires him to transport a trailer excavator, and therefore, he relies on his license for employment,” he said.

“His aunty has dementia. His father has written a letter in which he speaks of difficulties my client has experienced due to his close relationship with his aunty, which has significantly impacted him.”

Magistrate John Doherty told Tekin the maximum penalty for driving while disqualified was jail.

“It used to be the case until about 10 years ago that you’d be able to go to jail for a month. Now I can send you to jail for two years,” he said.

Mr Doherty said the 24-year-old’s blatant disregard for his disqualification from driving was “serious business”.

“The penalty I will give today will remind him to not do it again,” he said.

“If he comes back here for driving while suspended in his lifetime, he could go to jail,” he said.

Tekin was convicted, fined $750, and his license suspended for three months, effective August 21.