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Case Study: 54-year-old designer has disqualification reduced

Our client was yesterday sentenced at in a Local Court in Northern Sydney for the offence of driving with Mid-Range PCA.  A self-employed designer, our client had a previous...

Justin Wong

Our client was yesterday sentenced at in a Local Court in Northern Sydney for the offence of driving with Mid-Range PCA.  A self-employed designer, our client had a previous conviction for the same offence in 2007.

Because she was self-employed and running a successful design practice, there was a severe need for a licence.  The offence occurred after driving home to the northern beaches from the city. She ultimately returned a reading of 0.106.

After completing the Traffic Offenders Program, our client was sentenced.  The Court was asked to consider her remorse, need for a licence, her otherwise good character, and the circumstances leading up to the offence.  Having regard to all of those factors, the Magistrate reduced the automatic disqualification from 12 months to 8 months, effectively backdated from the date of the offence.  She was also fined $850 and the Court imposed a good behaviour bond for 12 months.

Given the earlier conviction in 2007, yesterday’s result was a relief for our client. Particularly in circumstances where her driver’s licence is critical to her business.  A disqualification for 12 months, the automatic period, would have potentially crippled her business.

Photo by Kaboompics.com