A Wagga man has been sentenced to jail after he was told he’d made a joke of the system by getting behind the wheel while disqualified and serving two good behaviour bonds.
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Ashmont’s Robert Gerard Boswell, 39, was convicted of several offences, including two counts of driving while disqualified, driving with an illicit drug, two counts of driving an unregistered vehicle and one of driving an unregistered truck.
Solicitor David Barron asked magistrate Erin Kennedy to consider home detention or a tempered non-parole period, as his client’s six-month-old daughter was very ill.
“My client’s daughter has to be taken to Sydney each six weeks for treatment, which is an ongoing issue for the family,” Mr Barron said.
“He has substance abuse issues and is a person who needs assistance with his rehabilitation.”
Mr Barron said Boswell had been participating in the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program but his effort had started to drop off.
Magistrate Kennedy said she had no choice but a custodial penalty, as Boswell hadn’t assisted his family, driving while clearly disqualified in a serious vehicle with an illicit drug present.
“You’ve had the benefit of home detention before and it hasn’t been enough for you,” Ms Kennedy said.
“It makes a joke of the system to gamble and say I don’t care, I’m going to drive anyway.”
Boswell will remain behind bars serving a total of ten months, was fined $500 and received a number of good behaviour bonds. He will be eligible for release on December 13.
