Ricky Shannon Bradshaw in Ingham court on serious driving charges

A repeat disqualified driver who attempted to evade a police patrol was jailed but immediately freed for time already served in custody.

Ricky Shannon Bradshaw outside the Ingham Magistrates Court recently. Picture: Cameron Bates

A repeat disqualified driver who attempted to evade a police patrol in bizarre circumstances was sentenced to a term of imprisonment but immediately freed for time already served.

Ricky Shannon Bradshaw, 39, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to driving without a licence disqualified by a court and evasion on September 14, 2022.

The father of two also pleaded guilty to driving without a licence in Ingham on December 28, 2022.

Prosecutor Kimberley Rogers-Ford tendered the court Bradshaw’s criminal and traffic histories, and pre-sentence custody certificate.

Magistrate Patricia Kirkman-Scroope immediately took note of Bradshaw’s traffic history, which included three convictions for unlicensed driving in 2020 and two for disqualified driving in 2020 and 2021.

Ricky Shannon Bradshaw, 39, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday to counts each of driving without a licence disqualified by a court and evasion on September 14, 2022. The father of two also pleaded guilty to driving without a licence in Ingham on December 28, 2022. Picture: Supplied

She said the pre-sentence custody certificate showed the defendant had served 273 days in prison, and had been released in February following a successful bail application.

The prosecutor clarified that the time in custody included more serious charges that were still before the courts.

She said in the first incident, Bradshaw had refused to stop his vehicle after he was seen leaving the Station Hotel without its lights on at 8pm.

Ms Rogers-Ford said the defendant eventually stopped outside the Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre in Fraser St.

“About five minutes later, (police) lights are still activated, police have … tried to walk toward the intercepted vehicle to talk to the driver,” she said.

“The driver has then pulled away and proceeded down Fraser St.”

She said when police eventually spoke with Bradshaw at a later date, he was uncooperative despite his father admitting his son had been driving, and that Bradshaw had been captured on CCTV at the Station Hotel.

Ms Rogers-Ford said in the December incident, Bradshaw told police he was driving to buy his children Christmas presents when he was busted by police in the Woolworths car park.

She said the minimum sentence for evade was either a fine or 50 days in prison.

Defence lawyer Miriam Grundy said her client, who is unemployed, had a limited criminal history and had not been in trouble since he was released from jail in February.

“The period of time he has served in custody was a significant period and it was his first time in custody.”

On the evasion charge, Bradshaw was jailed for 50 days but released for time served.

Magistrate Kirkman-Scroope said the repetitive “serious, serious offending” was “contemptuous” of the law.

“It demonstrates a defiance of the law,” she said as she condemned Bradshaw’s reckless behaviour.

On the driving charges, the defendant was disqualified for a total of four years to be served concurrently with his existing driving bans.

In addition, Bradshaw was jailed for three months, wholly suspended for six months, on the second disqualified driving charge.

Convictions were recorded on all charges.

Originally published as Ricky Shannon Bradshaw in Ingham court on serious driving charges