Dad loses licence taking pregnant wife to hospital

Ipswich man banned from getting behind the wheel again after 'panicked' decision to drive

DISQUALIFIED driver Daniel Bowles, 28, is now off the road for another two years after he was caught driving, telling police he was taking his pregnant wife to Ipswich hospital. Picture: Ross Irby

A PANICKED and anxious Ipswich dad already disqualified from driving is now banned from getting behind the wheel for another two years after he was caught taking his wife to Ipswich hospital.

His wife apparently was suffering belly pains at the time.

Daniel Bowles, 28, from Ripley, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to driving when court disqualified on the Warwick Road, Yamanto, at 9pm on February 5.

Prosecutor, Sergeant Tracy Long said Bowles was intercepted driving and police checks revealed that his licence had expired on December 21, 2017, and that a court magistrate had disqualified him from driving for 12 months from September 1, 2017.

"He says he was simply driving from his mother's house at Ripley and taking his pregnant partner to hospital as she was having pains," Sgt Long said.

"Police made offers to take her to hospital, or by ambulance, but all offers were declined."

Sgt Long said Bowles took personal property from his car and called his mother to come and get them.

It was not revealed whether his wife did go to hospital that night.

Defence lawyer Naadira Omarjee said Bowles was a concreter and that his actions were due to being "over anxious and panicking" as his partner was pregnant with their child.

It was said the partner had "some stabbing pains in the belly".

Ms Omarjee said Bowles' action in driving when disqualified was not motivated by disregard of the court order.

She said Bowles would likely now lose his job.

Magistrate David Shepherd said he could understand to a degree there was a level of anxiety in this incident but it would have been better for Bowles to have taken a breath, think of other options that were available and make a better choice than driving.

Bowles was fined $700, which was sent to SPER, and he was disqualified from driving for two years.

Originally published as Dad loses licence taking pregnant wife to hospital