General News
26 September, 2025
Repeat unlicensed drivers lucky to avoid prison time
A concreter and a meat worker were fortunate not to serve jail time after being handed four-month suspended sentences for unlicensed driving at the Oakey Magistrates Court last Friday.
The male concreter in his 50s was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for 18 months, after his third consecutive driving whilst unlicensed offence.
He had been stopped on August 24th by Oakey Police in a 2009 Isuzu utility at the United service station on Aubigny Road, having already had his licence suspended for two years earlier in the year, on February 21st.
Duty Lawyer for the Defence Kate McIntyre argued that the man had been compliant with the conditions until this one offence, which came after his boss told him it was no longer suitable for the man to keep being dropped off at work.
Ms McIntyre argued that the defendant was “embarrassed and remorseful” for his actions and had since left the job and started work at Pittsworth.
Magistrate Kathleen Payne warned the defendant that a term of imprisonment was within range for his offending, and cited numerous similar cases where offenders had received jail time.
The male meatworker in his 30s was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for 18 months, after a third consecutive driving while unlicensed offence.
Oakey Police had stopped the man on August 27th, in a black 2005 Nissan Navara on Campbell Street.
Checks revealed that the man was unlicensed, having had his licence disqualified for two years earlier in the year, on July 11th, and showed that his vehicle was unregistered, uninsured, and had false number plates from a gold 2007 Holden Commodore, which had been cancelled on November 16th 2023.
Duty Lawyer McIntyre said the father-of-two had been on parole at the time of the offending and that she had spoken with his parole officer, who had said he was suitable to reside in the community.
Magistrate Payne told the man that he had an appalling traffic record, and that he had heard from the previous case what the consequences could be.
A man in his 30s was disqualified from driving for six months and fined a total of $1196 for drink driving on a P-plate licence, and driving while unlicensed due to a disqualification.
The offence occurred when he was intercepted by Oakey Police on July 19th, who performed a licence check revealing an invalid licence, and conducted a Random Breath Test, which returned a positive result.
The man, a father-of-four, had been picking up his car which had been left parked unlocked by a friend out in public with the keys in the ignition.
An unemployed woman in her 20s from Kingsthorpe was convicted and placed on probation for 12 months for ten offences, including driving an unregistered vehicle, driving while unlicensed, possessing a knife in a public place, possessing a weapon in a public place, possessing crystal methamphetamine, and stealing petrol.
On January 3rd, she had stolen 29.57 litres of petrol worth $56.16 from the 7-Eleven service station at Westbrook, with a male driver, who she refused to identify.
On March 18th, Oakey Police identified the woman at her Goombungee Road address, and observed that a car, a white Holden Rodeo, parked out the front of the house, was still warm with the keys in the ignition.
Licence checks revealed the woman had never owned a valid licence, and upon questioning she admitted to purchasing the registration plates from New South Wales on Marketplace.
A search of the car revealed black 11cm knife with a plastic handle located under the passenger seat, and a compound bow.
Police also found a set of Queensland registration plates which had been stolen from a broken-down car on the side of a nearby road.
Defence lawyer Nathan Bouchier told Magistrate Payne the woman had been born and raised in Toowoomba, but hadn’t worked since leaving school due to her mother being in and out of jail, and a long time issue with drug use.
Mr Bouchier argued mitigating factors in the case were the woman’s diabetes, for which she had spent time in intensive care, and the fact that she was taking care of a younger brother
Magistrate Payne told the woman that she would do well to continue to stay off drugs if she truly cared about her health, and noted that the woman had an extensive history of stealing and dishonesty.
After issuing the probation order, the Magistrate also ordered that restitution of the money owed to 7-Eleven at Westbrook.
A 30-years-old man was convicted for driving in an uninsured car with expired registration plates and was fined a total of $1157 for the two offences.
He had been intercepted by Oakey Police on August 30th at the United service station on Aubigny Road.
