Stephen Andrew Jones faces Toowoomba Magistrates Court for drink-driving, disqualified driving offences dating back 23 years

A magistrate declared the 49-year-old had the ‘worst traffic history’ she had ever seen when the man faced court for multiple driving offences, some dating back decades. See what the court did with him here.

A 49-year-old man with the worst traffic history a Toowoomba magistrate had ever seen has been handed a jail term after pleading guilty to multiple drink-driving and disqualified driving offences some dating back 23 years.

Stephen Andrew Jones had in his NSW traffic history four high-range drink-driving convictions, nine mid-range drink-driving offences, five disqualified driving offences and three unlicensed driving matters, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told.

Jones fronted the Toowoomba court on Wednesday to plead guilty to four separate drink-driving and disqualified driving offences, some dating back to 2000.

Stephen Andrew Jones leaves Toowoomba Courthouse on February 22, 2023.

Those offences included mid-range drink-driving while disqualified at Lawnton on October 6, 2000; mid-range drink-driving at Cloncurry on August 9, 2000; disqualified driving at Boondall on July 19, 2006; disqualified driving on First Ave, Bongaree, and then the Bruce Highway, Burpengary on the same day of January 23, 2007; driving unlicensed and mid-range drink-driving on Ruthven St, Toowoomba, May 21, 2022; mid-range drink-driving while unlicensed on Capricorn Circuit, North Lakes, on May 19, 2022; and driving unlicensed on Toowoomba Connection Rd, Withcott, June 25, 2022.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to appear in Sandgate Magistrates Court on May 21, 2007.

Magistrate Kay Philipson noted Jones had been disqualified from driving “absolutely” in 1999 and hadn’t renewed his licence since, meaning the unlicensed driving charges were actually further disqualified driving offences.

Ms Philipson told the self-represented Jones that his was the worst traffic history she had seen.

Stephen Andrew Jones was sentenced to a suspended jail term in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on February 22, 2023.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t jail you today,” she asked.

Jones told the court he was sorry, he was receiving psychological counselling, that he no longer drove and didn’t have a car at his home and that he had the care of two teenage sons.

He said he had been a plasterer since the early 1990s and was always in work and had a good boss who drove him to jobs.

However, he admitted to still having a drink after work and on the weekends.

“I find it quite concerning that you continue to drink alcohol,” Ms Phillipson said.

Noting Jones also had two previous disqualified driving, one drink-driving and four unlicensed driving offences in Queensland, Ms Phillipson sentenced him to six months’ jail but ordered the whole term be suspended immediately for six months and placed him two years probation to include alcohol counselling.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years on each disqualified driving offence and six months on the drink-driving counts.