Linesa Maree Collins jailed after being convicted for the eighth time of driving while disqualified

A magistrate has decided there was only one way to keep a repeat disqualified driver from getting behind the wheel. Now the Toowoomba mother has learned her fate in court.

A repeat disqualified driver, convicted for the eighth time of the same offence in a matter of years, has been jailed for continually failing to follow court orders to stay off the road.

Toowoomba mother Linesa Maree Collins faced the city’s magistrates court on October 12 where she pleaded guilty to nine offences, including three counts of driving without a licence disqualified by court order, driving with a relevant drug present, driving uninsured and unregistered and operating a vehicle during a period of number plate confiscation.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Willson told the court in a matter of months between January to August Collins was intercepted by police three times driving on a licence that had been disqualified by court order.

On March 4 Collins also returned a positive roadside reading to a relevant drug in her saliva which was later analysed to be methylamphetamine.

Collins’ solicitor Emily O’Hagan told the court her client had a history of drug addiction, and that her repeated failure to adhere to her disqualification period was due to relapses into drug use and the loss of stable accommodation.

“They’re decisions which she is making in the context of a relapse into an addiction where she is not properly thinking through the significant consequences of her actions,” Ms O’Hagan said.

Magistrate Louise Shephard however didn’t accept there was a “nexus” between her drug addiction and relapse and choosing to drive.

“I’ve got no issue with someone battling with an addiction and having relapses of course, but there’s more to it than this,” the magistrate said.

“She has shown a history of thumbing her nose at court orders in terms of her disqualifications and there are aggravating examples of the disqualifications.”

The court was told the disqualified driving offences were made more serious by the fact that on one occasion she was detected with methylamphetamine in her system, and another came when her number plates were confiscated.

“They occur against the backdrop of five previous convictions for disqualified driving,” Ms Shephard said.

“It’s just complete contempt for court orders. This is now you sixth, seventh and eighth conviction for that (offence).”

The court was told the offences were committed while Collins was on a suspended jail sentence for similar offending, and while Ms Shephard said she was “loathe” to send someone to jail for disqualified driving there was no other option, especially considering that Collins was a repeatedly “flouted” court orders and she had failed to engage with the conditions of a probation order imposed for similar offences.

Activating the previous suspended sentence, Collins was jailed for 12 months, with a parole release date of December 12, 2022. Her licence was disqualified from driving for two years, six months.