Grandfather’s unlicensed, unregistered driving as a favour for his uncle leads to jail warning

The grandfather was asked to do a favour for a relative, but knew he shouldn’t be behind the wheel. He was told if he does it again he’s going behind bars.

An unlicensed, unregistered driver who did a “foolish” favour for his elderly uncle has been ordered to do community work and told never to come back to court again.

An unlicensed, unregistered driver who did a “foolish” favour for his uncle has been ordered to do community work and told never to come back to court again.

David Freeman Biggs was pulled over by police with no licence in a car with the wrong number plates and no registration.

When officers went to have a chat with him, they also found cannabis inside the car.

He pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving, having fraudulent plates, unregistered vehicle and drug possession charges at Frankston Magistrates’ Court last Monday.

The court heard Biggs’ car was stopped at 1.40pm on April 21 this year in Woorilla Court, Frankston because it flagged as unregistered.

The 57-year-old grandfather from Frankston told police he knew he was unlicensed, as “he had been disqualified a few years ago” but didn’t know the car’s registration was expired.

Biggs admitted the small amount of cannabis found in the car was his, and used for “personal reasons”.

He said he was just driving his uncle’s car a short distance to the mechanic to do some work to it and he had failed to apply to a court to get his licence back.

Police checks showed neither the car nor the plates were stolen.

In court his defence lawyer said Biggs admitted he had a long rap sheet, including spending time in jail in 2010.

She said the former market gardener, who is now a carer, had been “very foolish” to give in to his uncle who had demanded he take the car to the mechanic.

She said he was hit by a tram while walking down the street in 2008, causing a broken hip and back, which had led to him becoming addicted to painkillers and a cannabis smoker.

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Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said Biggs won’t be going to jail this time, but this would change if he appeared before him again.

“This is the last time the court will deal with you in this way,” Mr Lethbridge said.

“Next time it will be imprisonment.

“Don’t come back, please.”

Biggs was ordered to do 75 hours of unpaid community work, was disqualified from driving for 12 months, convicted and fined a total of $1050.