Dalby man who racked up 24 charges spared jail after pleading guilty

Despite two decades in the mines and multiple professional tickets, a Dalby man racked up an “extraordinary” number of charges in just a few months after one major change.

Dalby Magistrates Court.

A miner of two decades found himself out of work and in trouble with the law, racking up an enormous number of extra charges which could have been avoided.

Robert Lesley Colonel, 44, pleaded in Dalby Magistrates Court guilty on Wednesday to 24 charges including driving without a valid licence, driving with an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and failing to appear.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins told the court Colonel, who appeared via videolink, was intercepted in a Holden Rodeo on March 28 at 6.40pm.

“He was identified as the driver, he had been disqualified, and he didn’t renew his licence,” Mr Hutchins said.

He told the court that on April 5 Colonel was again intercepted at 11.50pm and found in the same vehicle still unregistered and uninsured and his plates had been cancelled.

Colonel failed to appear in court on six separate occasions and breached bail conditions on eight occasions, the court heard.

Mr Hutchins said Colonel was inconsistent with providing reasons for not appearing in court on those occasions, but caring for his mother was one of them.

“He just needs to get his life on track and deal with some of the issues in his life,” he said.

“I don’t see much utility in a term of imprisonment.”

Colonel’s defence lawyer, Hamish Chapman, said events in Colonel’s life had contributed to his sporadic behaviour, namely his mother’s health.

“The consequences he’s had as a result is he isn’t working as of recently, he has the capacity, the skillset and the tickets to do so he’s just not in the right headspace,” Mr Chapman said.

Describing his client’s e behaviour as generally out of character, he said recent mental health problems were also a consideration.

“He has an incredible work history, two decades in the mines, fourteen specifically in gas, he’s got more tickets than I could bring here in a convenient manner,” he said.

Magistrate Kathleen Payne agreed it was an unusual circumstance with his working history and his support for his mother.

“It’s extraordinary that from the beginning of this year you’ve racked up 24 charges for matters that were really entirely within your control,” Ms Payne said.

“You’ve chosen on an ongoing basis to defy court orders.”

Ms Payne said she was satisfied a probation order was appropriate to assist Colonel from moving forward in a fashion where he wouldn’t come back before the court.

“You’ve got such a good record of employment and not appearing before the court,” she said.

Colonel was sentenced with a probation order of nine months, and his licence was disqualified for one month.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Dalby man who racked up 24 charges spared jail after pleading guilty