Road rogue caught driving while unlicensed for the 13th time given six months behind bars
A Dandenong scaffolder has continually flouted the law by driving while unlicensed in unregistered cars. After being caught yet again, the court took a dim view of his “defiance”.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Yesterday was an unlucky day for a serial unlicensed driver after he was jailed for being behind the wheel while banned for the 13th time.
As well as road-rule offending, the continual law-breaker also admitted breaching corrections orders and ignoring bail conditions.
Brett Andre Mei, also known as Brett Mehana, hadn’t held a licence since he lost it in 2013 for drink-driving.
Since then the Dandenong scaffolder has been caught driving unlicensed or while disqualified 13 times.
The father of four pleaded guilty to a raft of driving and breach charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The court heard Mei has a terrible criminal history, including for violent assaults, and has been in and out of jail over the past few years.
On November 19 last year he was caught on Princes Highway in Dandenong driving unlicensed in an unregistered car bearing stolen number plates.
He admitted the driving crimes to officers, saying he needed his car for work, but said “someone else must have swapped the stolen plates”.
He had also been picked up less than three weeks earlier in Ross St, Dandenong on November 1 driving unlicensed in an unregistered car with a limited-use permit.
He told police he was moving furniture, which is not allowed under permit conditions.
And on August 31 last year he was nabbed in a car in Jeffrey St, Dandenong North with “novelty type” plates bearing the numbers 21 – 58.
They were not VicRoads plates, he was unlicensed and he gave his mate’s name and New Zealand address, but cops knew who he was and he was arrested.
His defence lawyer said since Mei lost his licence he “hasn’t pulled his finger out” in applying to get it back and although he had now made enquiries, relicensing would be difficult due to COVID-19 restrictions.
He said Mei was now living with his scaffolding supervisor and didn’t need to drive to get to work.
MORE COURT NEWS
EX-COP CHARGED WITH WEAPONS, ASSAULTS BAILED TO GUN HOUSE
FIGHT NIGHT: SOUTHEAST BASHERS, BRAWLERS AND BRUTES
UNLICENSED, UNLIT, UNFED DRIVER NABBED GOING TO MACCAS
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said Mei had failed multiple corrections orders, been the subject of a multitude of warrants and just didn’t want to adhere to society’s regulations.
“He generally demonstrates noncompliance, he’s not deterred by police engagement, there’s been a pattern of some sort of defiance,” Mr Vandersteen said.
“He’s been in and out of prison and back before the court so many times; there’s been further offending, constant breaches and CCOs haven’t worked.
“He has been afforded every opportunity (in the past).”
Mei was jailed for a total of six months.