Dee Jay Kent of Waddell Street, Canowindra, was given a two-year driving ban for each of the five charges of driving while disqualified as well as five 18-month suspended jail sentences.

However, due to his already lengthy ban, Magistrate Terry Lucas agreed to run the five new disqualifications concurrently and quashed a habitual offender declaration.

Kent will be able to drive legally in 2034.

He pleaded guilty to each of the five charges dating from September 2016 to November 2016, all of which occurred in the Canowindra area.

He was represented in court by solicitor Peter Ringbauer.

“Although Mr Kent is 24-years-of age he does have some issues with maturity,” Mr Ringbauer said.

“The vehicle he had has been disposed of.

“Some of the driving occurred while he was driving to and from hospital for methadone, he didn’t realise how serious his behaviour was.” 

Kent was arrested at Canowindra hospital at 8.50am on Monday, November 21, 2016, for failing to appear in court to face four of the charges.

Police were at the health service for an unrelated matter when they saw him drive up to the hospital. When they arrested him, they also charged him with driving while disqualified.

He was still in custody on Monday when he appeared via AVL and Mr Ringbauer said his client had a rough time in jail.

The first of the current charges was laid after police stopped Kent for a random breath test at 10.50am on September 2 at the intersection of Ryall Street and Ferguson Street.

He was stopped again on September 8 on Cargo Road and when he was driving his unwell baby to Orange hospital.

Other passengers were also unlicensed so police took him to Canowindra where a licensed driver was found.

At 3.58pm on September 29 police saw Kent driving along Ryall Street, Canowindra where he entered the health centre.

At 9am on Wednesday, October 12, an off-duty police officer saw Kent driving along Ferguson Street, the matter was reported.

At 4.30pm police spoke to him and he admitted to driving earlier that day.