AN Orange man who is disqualified from driving until 2027 has a total disregard for that disqualification, according to police.
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Dwayne James Reid avoided a jail sentence in Orange Local Court on Thursday, despite being caught driving while disqualified twice in one month.
Police argued, in documents tendered to the court, that if Reid was free he would continue to drive regardless of any conditions imposed on him.
The 24-year-old’s solicitor Bob Lulham tried to argue his client should be given a suspended jail sentence, but the magistrate, Bruce Williams said he believed those types of sentences were dangerous implements.
Mr Lulham said his client had been using drugs around the time he committed his prior offences and would drive in order to pick up drugs.
However, he said, Reid was now drug free.
Mr Williams said because Reid had gone to great lengths to address his addiction problems by enrolling in rehabilitation, he thought it would be best not to send him to jail.
“These are matters that in any other circumstances I would consider a jail sentence,” he said.
“If you come back for driving while disqualified, you will go to jail, simple as that.
“I can’t imagine what it is like to have an addiction, but from what I have seen it is very difficult to get out of.”
Mr Williams sentenced Reid to an 18-month good behaviour bond, but told him that if he failed to cooperate with the Department of Community and Corrections while he was on that bond, corrections staff would report his behaviour back to the magistrate.