Chloe Joan-Ellen Kearns ordered off the road for two years after caught driving while disqualified

With just three days remaining on her suspension, a mother of two made the fateful decision to get behind the wheel, which has cost her dearly.

A Toowoomba woman only had three days to go on her one-month licence suspension, but the decision to drive will see her off the road for two years.

Chloe Joan-Ellen Kearns was ordered off the road for a month in Toowoomba Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to drug driving.

However, the court was told, on September 1 2021 this year the 31-year-old mother of two was stopped by police at 4.30am on September 1 in Newtown, and while she thought her suspension had ended checks revealed she was suspended until September 3.

About a week later, police prosecutor Sergeant Jacquelyn Miller said Kearns was stopped again on September 7 driving in Newtown while her licence was demerit point suspended.

In court Kearns pleaded guilty to both driving without a licence and driving a motor vehicle while demerit point suspended.

Kearns’ solicitor Michael McElhinney said his client was aware of the consequences of her actions but offered no reason as to why she was driving.

Magistrate Kay Ryan was at pains to explain what would happen if she was caught driving without a licence again.

“You put yourself in this position where you were two or three days from the end of a one month disqualification, and now you’re going to be disqualified for two years,” the magistrate said.

Kearns was fined $750, and no conviction recorded. A six month disqualification was also imposed for the driving while demerit point suspended offence, taking the total disqualification period to two and a half years.