- Home
- What’s on
- Observations
- Police watch
- Home security
- Advice
- Legal directory
- Search archives
- Contacts
Year's jail for repeat driving offender
Joel Allan Linwood has paid the price for his refusal to obey the court’s disqualification orders — again.
He has begun another prison term, this time for a year for his twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth convictions for driving while disqualified.
He was released from his last jail term for driving while disqualified in November, and it took very little time before the unemployed 20-year-old was back in trouble in exactly the same way.
He was caught driving on December 25, 27, and 28.
He admitted the three disqualified driving charges as well as two breaches of the inner city liquor ban and a breach of his prison release conditions.
Judge Stephen Erber sentenced him this afternoon in the Christchurch District Court.
Defence counsel David Stringer said Linwood’s disjointed childhood had set him up for problems in later life.
He said Linwood had managed to avoid alcohol problems. A friend had killed himself by drink-driving and Linwood had taken that lesson on board.
Mr Stringer suggested home detention as a sentence, but Judge Erber ruled it out saying that Linwood had already received a jail term for breaching home detention and also had a conviction for escaping from custody.
Judge Erber said there was nothing remarkable about the offending. “You just decided to go driving as you wished, contrary to the order of the court.”
The presentence report said Linwood continued to offend in spite of everyone’s best efforts, and the probation officer recommended imprisonment.
Judge Erber imposed the year’s jail term, with special conditions that he attend a departmental rehabilitation programme as directed.
He also disqualified him from driving for a year, but that term only starts when his present term expires, on December 23, 2011.
