Mother of five jailed after seventh conviction for driving without a licence

A MOTHER of five was sent to prison after her seventh driving without a licence conviction.

Lisa-Anne Callard pleaded guilty to no authority to drive when she appeared at Rockingham Magistrates Court on January 3.

The prosecutor said Callard was detected driving on Safety Bay Road by police on June 7, 2016 and they discovered she didn’t have a licence.

He said it was her seventh court suspension and also breached a suspended imprisonment order (SIO) of eight months, suspended for 18 months, made on February 17, 2015.

The SIO was made in relation to previous driving without a licence convictions dating back to 2006.

Magistrate Vivian Edwards spoke to Callard before convicting her.

“You must have realised that by driving you would be in breach of that order,” she said.

Callard said she drove because her brother was having chest pains.

“My brother has a heart condition and I panicked,” she said.

Magistrate Edwards said medical intervention could have been sought.

“And you didn’t think to phone an ambulance?” she said.

The prosecutor recommended the SIO be upheld.

“There is nothing in the facts that state she was facing an emergency at the time,” he said.

“We would be seeking an immediate term of imprisonment as appropriate.”

Callard denied the prosecutors version of the facts.

“They were aware of it,” she said.

“I panicked – I didn’t think to ring an ambulance at the time.”

Magistrate Edwards said Callard’s past driving convictions determined sentencing.

“Bearing in mind the number of prior convictions and the factual situation they do not lead me to the view that it would be unjust to trigger the SIO,” she said.

“I’m giving some credit for the seven months where you complied with the SIO. You are sentenced to seven months immediate imprisonment with a further disqualification from driving of 12 months.”